Australia captain Sam Kerr says she has fully recovered from her calf injury and is “ready to go” against England on Wednesday.
The Chelsea striker suffered the injury on the eve of the tournament and missed the entire Women’s World Cup group stage.
She made a 10-minute cameo in the Matildas’ last-16 tie and then managed another 30 minutes, plus extra-time, before her side’s penalty shootout win over France on Saturday.
Kerr insists she could have started against France but that her recovery plan always targeted a start in the semi-finals. The 29-year-old admits it has been tough playing a reduced role so far.
“With everything that’s been going on, the best thing for [the France game] was the plan we made and the one we followed,” said Kerr.
“When I hurt my calf, the plan was always to be ready for a semi-final, the final.
“So, I could have [started against France], but who knows what could have happened? The girls have been smashing it and absolutely dominating.
“I was ready to go, but we’ve had a plan this whole tournament and we just had to stick to it. That was part of the plan, to get 20 minutes against Denmark [in the last 16] to make me feel better for this game and now with another, what, 65 minutes, I feel better for it and I’ll have more training under my belt. So, I feel ready to go.”
Kerr added: “I just had to regain that focus that I probably haven’t had the last two weeks because I haven’t been playing as much, and think of what my role is really for.
“I’m so grateful that I was able to be here and come back.
“I knew that I would come back on the pitch, because I would have played with one calf if I had to, but I think the plan has gone pretty well.”
