Sam Kerr injury timeline: How she got hurt, when the Matildas first knew she would miss games – and the smart reason they kept it a secret until the last minute

From the moment superstar striker Sam Kerr injured her calf at training on Tuesday, the Matildas flicked the switch.

Well aware negating the influence of the 29-year-old would be a key element of the Republic of Ireland‘s tactics, Aussie coach Tony Gustavsson and his entourage started devising Plan B.

In came young gun Mary Fowler, a straight swap for Kerr – but it was kept strictly in-house. 

Maintaining team morale was also vital ahead of the World Cup Group B clash at Sydney‘s Stadium Australia on Thursday.

When news that captain Kerr wasn’t playing – revealed on her own Instagram page to her 1.2 million followers roughly 70 minutes before kick-off  – pandemonium followed in some quarters.

Sam Kerr didn’t play against Ireland after injuring her calf at training on Tuesday

She supported her teammates from the bench and even took on the water duties (pictured, with teammate Kyra Cooney-Cross)

But the Matildas kept their steely focus and beat the Girls in Green 1-0 on home soil, thanks to a penalty early in the second half from stand in skipper Steph Catley.

Even before Kerr was officially diagnosed and ruled out for at least two matches, the Matildas kept a united front.

Gustavsson and Kerr then both attended the traditional pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon – and revealed nothing.

While devastated, the Chelsea goal machine gave no indication she would be watching the action from the bench – and selflessly told her teammates behind closed doors she firmly believed they would thrive in her absence.

‘Sam was very clear early on, she brought the team together to say: ‘This is not about me, this is about you. This is about the team,’ Gustavsson said.

‘It says a lot about her and also why she is captain of this team.’

Kerr is hopeful of lining up against Olympic champions Canada in Melbourne on July 31 – she won’t play against Nigeria on July 27

Kerr confirmed on Instagram she wasn’t playing on Thursday roughly an hour before kick-off in a bombshell development

Catley labelled Kerr the ‘spiritual leader’ of the squad.

‘Sam’s still around you know, she’s still got an effect on the team. She’s in every meeting, she’s in there at half time talking to everyone,’ she said.

She’s doing the pre-game talk. She’s – she’s Sam! And she’s still with us.

‘We will do everything we can to get as far as we can, and then hopefully we see Sam later on.’

Kerr isn’t expected to feature in the Matildas next group game versus Nigeria on July 27 in Brisbane – but is hopeful of lining up against Olympic champions Canada in Melbourne come July 31.