Kerr sidelined as Matildas prepare for South Korea friendlies

Matildas captain Sam Kerr will miss the upcoming international friendlies against South Korea as she continues to recover from knee surgery. Despite initial optimism from coach Tom Sermanni about her return, Chelsea has ruled out her participation until mid-April at the earliest. Kerr has not played since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament during a training camp in Morocco in 2024, and her absence comes at a difficult time for the Matildas, who are currently at their lowest FIFA ranking since 2003. In her absence, the squad will feature A-League Women stars and some returning players, as they prepare for the Asian Cup qualifiers. Sermanni emphasized the need for the team to perform well after a disappointing showing in recent tournaments. The upcoming matches against Korea are seen as crucial for building team cohesion ahead of the Asian Cup.