- Star forward Caitlin Foord suffered a hamstring injury
- He was substituted in the Matildas’ 1-1 draw against China in Adelaide
- The Paris Olympic Games will be held from July 26 to August 11
- Matildas will face Germany, Zambia and the United States in Group B
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has admitted he is “a little worried” about a possible hamstring injury to star forward Caitlin Foord as he debates whether she should have been rested ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Foord was replaced shortly after the hour mark in Friday’s friendly against China in Adelaide after suffering hamstring tightness.
Gustavsson insisted it was a precaution, but the Arsenal star will not take part in Monday night’s rematch at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
“I’m a little worried,” said the Swede at the end of the period, where Australia drew 1-1 after Michelle Heyman’s injury-time equalizer in Adelaide.
‘It’s easy to say after something like that happens: should I really have used her (Foord) or should I have let her rest?
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson admitted he is “a little worried” about the hamstring injury suffered by star forward Caitlin Foord during the 1-1 draw against China on May 31 in Adelaide.
Arsenal star Foord has been replaced as a “caution” and will be a key figure for the Matildas at the Paris Olympics with Sam Kerr injured.
‘We don’t know how serious it is, but she said she felt something.
“If it were a World Cup match or the Olympics, I think she would have tried to continue playing, but at this point there is no way we would risk that.”
Gustavsson also fielded an experimental XI on Friday and showed it, with his team disjointed from the start.
“We wanted to evaluate the players for the national team,” he explained.
“That influenced the game a little bit… with a new relationship on the right side, a new relationship on the left side and a new relationship in central midfield.
And I think you can see that too. “He wasn’t as synchronized and connected as we normally see.”
On June 4 – the day after the Matildas’ second match against China in Sydney – Gustavsson will announce his 18-member Olympic team.
Australia’s campaign in Paris begins on July 26 (AEST) with a clash against Germany in Marseille before further group matches against Zambia and the United States, who have won Olympic gold on four occasions.
