Matildas manager Tony Gustavsson has revealed the team planned to deceive the world to protect Sam Kerr’s injury secret.
Gustavsson had plenty of reasons to smile after Australia held on for a thrilling World Cup opening win against Ireland on Thursday night.
In front of a record crowd of 75,784 – the biggest ever crowd for a women’s football game in Australia — fill-in captain Steph Catley stepped up to score a thunderous penalty goal which sparked wild scenes inside Stadium Australia.
Kerr was seen smiling with teammates at the end of the game, but had earlier cut a devastated figure and was in tears while standing with teammate Kyah Simon on the sidelines in the minutes before kick-off.
Kerr, and the Matildas, shocked the footballing world an hour before kick-off when the team announced she had suffered a calf injury during the team’s final training session run on…