Australia, co-organizer of the Women’s World Cup, has to do without Sam Kerr, who has been injured in a calf since the start of the competition, but was able to rely on Hayley Raso, a perfect understudy who has come a long way before facing Denmark, Monday (12:30 p.m.) in Sydney. Author of a double against Canada (4-0) crucial in the qualification of Australia in the round of 16, Hayley Raso, always a ribbon in her hair, made forget the time of a match the star striker Sam Kerr, who still hasn’t played since the start of the World Cup on July 20.
First with a cross shot in the box then a goal from a corner, the 28-year-old striker unlocked her counter against the Canadian Olympic champions, confirming their elimination. Scorer in front of her mother present in the stands, the attacker saw it as a sign. “It was a full moon tonight, and Hayley and I both have a full moon tattooed on our arms,” her mother Renaye Sweeting explained, showing off her left arm in a video shared by the selection on social media. “It’s our thing. I spend my time begging the sky for her to show up. And it was the case”.
“My mother has the same tattoo. I wrote to him on the way to the game, “It’s a full moon.” And she was like, ‘That’s a sign!’” Hayley Raso said, all smiles. These goals are indeed symbolic as she has come a long way: the number 16 of the “Matildas” feared that she would never be able to walk again after a serious injury in August 2018. During a match under the colors of the American club Portland Thorns, Raso crashed into the Washington Spirit’s goalkeeper, Aubrey Bledsoe.
A broken back, with three shattered vertebrae, prevented her from moving for several weeks and kept her off the pitch for four months. She reunited with them in January 2019, when football was the last thing on Hayley Raso’s mind a few months before. She scored a month later with the “Matildas”, in February 2019 against New Zealand, and played the World Cup in France the following summer.
“It was really traumatic for me both mentally and physically, and when I was in hospital I remember thinking that I probably won’t go to the World Cup or even play football again,” she told Fifa. “I couldn’t do anything and had to take one step at a time, learning little things like walking again. Then, once I got back into running, I found the fun of things again and I knew I had to get back in shape to play again,” she continued.
Five years later, the native of Brisbane, who started in the selection at 17, is participating well in her third World Cup, after having played in Canada in 2015 and in 2019 in France. The one who started football because her brother practiced it took another step a few weeks ago, and signed for Real Madrid, after two seasons with Manchester City, where she paired with her selection partner Mary Fowler.
Monday in the round of 16 against star striker Pernille Harder’s Denmark, Hayley Raso is again expected and will have to continue to gain momentum, especially if Sam Kerr is still on the sidelines. The Australian captain trained on Saturday alongside her teammates.
“We had a great time with the team yesterday seeing her come back with her shoes on, touch the ball and be with the team in training,” Tony Gustavsson said at a press conference on Sunday, adding that she could come into play on Monday against Denmark. “We’re going to talk about it tonight to see how many minutes would be most appropriate for her, looking at the 90 minutes and overtime, and how to get the best out of Sam Kerr in the game plan,” he added. .