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Australia's balancing act: Work in Sam Kerr without disrupting chemistry
BRISBANE, Australia – Will Tony Gustavsson have nightmares about picking a starting lineup?
That was the question asked of Australia's coach here on Thursday in anticipation of Saturday's World Cup quarterfinal clash between his team and France (3 a.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). Over their last two matches – decisive victories over Canada and Denmark – the Matildas have gotten into a winning rhythm and look cohesive both technically and tactically.
And now, superstar Sam Kerr is back from a calf injury that held her out of the group stage. So how will the world-famous striker be added into the fold? How will Gustavsson adjust his formula to accommodate his superstar and not disrupt the flow?
"I actually think he's probably sleeping better," midfielder Emily van Egmond said Thursday. "For him, it's not a nightmare at all. It's a dream come true, honestly. And we're all just buzzing for her. We're buzzing for the team."
Kerr, the 29-year-old striker, made her highly-anticipated return to the pitch in the round of 16, where she played 10 minutes, made six touches and had one shot attempt that caused the nearly 80,000 yellow-dressed fans in attendance to lose their minds.
[Sam Kerr makes highly-anticipated return as Australia rolls]
Is Australia a SERIOUS World Cup contender with Sam Kerr back? | SOTU
The not-yet-fully-charged Matildas have made it this far without minutes from Kerr, though, and have proved to still be quite dangerous.
But that's all about to change with Kerr's availability. She figures to be "a huge boost," van Egmond said, in this last eight showdown against an uber-confident Les Bleues side that's coming off a 4-0 win over Morocco.
Host country Australia is trying to make it to its first-ever World Cup semifinal appearance, never having advanced further than this stage in previous tournaments. France, meanwhile, is hoping to avenge what happened four years ago when the then-host nation lost to the United States in a dramatic quarterfinal.
Kerr will have something to say about all of that, though it is necessary to point out that since she's been gone, others have stepped up and performed. Van Egmond moved from the midfield to the forward line and had an assist on Hayley Raso's goal in the last match. More has been asked of 20-year-old Mary Fowler, a rising star who had the assist on Caitlin Foord's goal against Denmark. She's been ruthless in the attack and has played an important role when it comes to linking back with the midfield.
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In four matches, Australia has scored nine goals and had three clean sheets.
"I knew they could do it without me," Kerr told reporters after beating Denmark.
Now they won't have to, but it will certainly take more than Kerr to beat an in-form team like France. Les Bleues promise to be the most potent attack the Matildas have seen at this tournament – they scored three goals in 23 minutes in their win over Morocco, for example.
"A team can't be successful if you rely on just one player," Gustavsson said after the Denmark match. "And I don't say this out of disrespect for Sam because you know how much I love working with Sam and how much I say she's the best forward in the world.
"But I think Sam coming back now could be a good thing in a sense that we don't have to look at her in taking over and having everything on her shoulders. It's a team effort and a team tournament and it's icing on the cake, like it's that extra [to have her back]. So in that sense, I think it's a bonus for us."
Will Kerr start? That will be up to the medical staff. She asked trainers if she could do some extra running after the Denmark match, but was told no. Will Gustavsson slow-play it and build up her minutes, similarly to how U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski did with a previously injured Rose Lavelle? Time will tell.
[World Cup NOW: Should Sam Kerr start Australia's quarterfinal match?]
Regardless, she will play against France – van Egmond said Thursday that Kerr was at practice and "in good spirits." And Gustavsson will have the responsibility of figuring out how to infuse her one-of-a-kind talent on a team that's been clicking on the field without it.
"I've got more than 11 players that deserve to start," Gustavsson said.
No matter what decision is made, the Matildas are anxious to get their captain back on the field.
"Sam is the best striker in the world," van Egmond said. "There's no other way to look at it other than that."
'This is only the beginning, we've got much more to give' — Sam Kerr on Australia's 2-0 win over Denmark
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
