Superstar striker Sam Kerr will play her 100th game for the Matildas when they face the Republic of Ireland in an international friendly on Wednesday.
Twelve years and 48 goals after making her international debut as a raw, prodigiously talented 15-year-old, Matildas superstar skipper Sam Kerr will notch up her 100th cap when Australia returns to action against the Republic of Ireland.
Sam Kerr will go down in history as the 10th Matildas player to reach the 100-cap milestone Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson says Kerr isn't just a "phenomenal" footballer, she's a "phenomenal and world-class person as well" A new-look Australian side will face Ireland with six players who played the most minutes at the Olympics either ruled out or retired Kerr, 28, is set to lead the line in Australia's first game since their Tokyo 2020 campaign when they face the world number 33 in Dublin on Wednesday . But fellow former teen sensations, three-time Women's World Cup teammates, and close friends Emily van Egmond and Caitlin Foord won't be there, missing the current camp for personal reasons and a quad injury respectively. "Any time you get to represent your country and play with this group of girls, it's an amazing honour," Kerr said. "It's something I don't take lightly and I am a little bit sad some of my buddies can't be here for it. "I have pretty much played all of my 100 with them but I am sure there will be many more games to celebrate all our hundreds." Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson hailed Kerr, who is the 10th Matildas player to reach the 100-cap milestone and is just two goals short of Tim Cahill's Australian record ."She's not just a phenomenal and world-class footballer, she's a phenomenal and world-class person as well.The game shapes as an opportunity to experiment and test some fresh faces. Given the absence of van Egmond, Foord, Hayley Raso , Ellie Carpenter, and Kyah Simon — plus the post-Olympics retirement of Aivi Luik and Laura Brock, the current squad is very different-looking. "If you do the math, I think six of the players that played the most minutes, or about the most minutes in the Olympics are not even here," Gustavsson said. "That means a lot of openings and a lot of opportunities for other players to get game time, and step in and give us an opportunity also to look at some new players."
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