Sam Kerr probably didn't expect that her calf would receive so much attention this World Cup, but an unfortunate injury suffered just before the tournament has been a major story.
Australia's star striker and captain missed her country's three group games due to the injury, but has made two appearances off the bench in the knockout rounds.
So, will she finally make her first start of the World Cup in the Matildas' semifinal against England?
MORE: Australia vs England live blog
Will Sam Kerr start for Matildas in semifinal against England?
Kerr has officially been named in Australia's starting lineup for their semifinal with England.
She came off the bench for the second consecutive game in the Matildas' quarterfinal against France, brought on earlier than expected at the 55th-minute mark.
With the game going into extra time, Kerr ended up playing for over an hour, and didn't appear to be impacted by her calf.
Australia's coach Tony Gustavsson has been clear in his approach with the star striker, stating that Kerr will start if she is fully fit.
Emily van Egmond drops out in her place.
What is Sam Kerr's injury?
Kerr was struck down by a calf injury at training in Brisbane one day before the Matildas' opening World Cup match.
Her calf strain kept her out of Australia’s first two games, including a win over Ireland and a surprise loss against Nigeria.
The 29-year-old was reportedly a chance to come off the bench against Canada if the situation called for it, but the Matildas claimed a convincing 4-0 win, giving their captain a few extra days to recover.
Despite holding a two-nil lead in their round of 16 win over Denmark, Kerr came on in the 80th minute for her first action of the tournament, before making a lengthier appearance off the bench against France in the quarterfinals.
What time is the Matildas game tonight? Australia vs. England kickoff
Wednesday night's semifinal clash between Australia and England begins at 8:00 p.m. local time at Stadium Australia.
- Date: Wednesday, August 16
- Time: 8:00 p.m. AEST (6:00 a.m. ET)
Live pre-game coverage on Channel Seven and Optus Sport is due to begin at 7:00 p.m. AEST.
Here's what time the game will kick off in other time zones.
| AEST | ACST | AWST | ET (US) | PT (US) | GMT |
| 8:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. | 2:30 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. |
Australia results at Women's World Cup
Australia got off to a winning start at the tournament, defeating debutants Republic of Ireland 1-0 at Stadium Australia in front of a record crowd for women's football in the country.
In the side's second match, they were upset by Nigeria who came from behind to record a famous 3-2 victory in Brisbane.
Tony Gustavsson was able to rally his troops for a crucial do-or-die match though, securing a vital victory against Canada in Melbourne in front of a passionate home crowd.
They then carried the momentum into their Round of 16 clash with Denmark, as they recorded a 2-0 win in what was just their second ever win in the knockout rounds of the World Cup.
Australia failed to score for the first time all tournament in their quarterfinal against France but held in their nerve in a dramatic penalty shootout to progress to the semifinals.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| July 20 | Australia 1-0 Rep. of Ireland | Stadium Australia |
| July 27 | Australia 2-3 Nigeria | Brisbane Stadium |
| July 31 | Australia 4-0 Canada | Melbourne Rectangular Stadium |
| August 7 | Australia 2-0 Denmark | Stadium Australia |
| August 12 | Australia 0-0 France (Aus won 7-6 on penalties) | Brisbane Stadium |
