The Matildas have suffered another huge injury setback ahead of the Paris Olympics, with Amy Sayer suffering an ACL injury.
The 22-year-old forward debuted in 2018 and narrowly missed out on selection for the FIFA Women’s World Cup on home soil last year.
Since then, though, she has capitalised on greater opportunities and loomed as an important player following Sam Kerr’s ACL injury.
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But Sayer will now join the skipper on the sidelines after going down while playing for her Swedish club Kristianstads.
She had to be helped off the pitch after being injured in a match over the weekend.
Scans later confirmed the ruptured ACL and “a lengthy stay on the sidelines”, according to Football Australia.
“Since returning to the national team set up in late 2022, Amy has been a positive addition to our team with her attitude and work ethic on and off the pitch,” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said.
“To have suffered this setback is an upsetting blow for Amy and for our Matildas family.
“As always for us, our priority will be on supporting Amy and ensuring she is provided with care and assistance as she needs to navigate this challenging time.”
Sayer has not yet undergone surgery but she is guaranteed to miss the Olympics.
The dreaded ACL tear cruelled Kerr’s hopes of leading the Matildas at Paris 2024 while it also took young gun Holly McNamara out of contention.
McNamara has only just returned to light training after suffering the injury — for the third time in her life — while scoring a match-winning goal last November.
The triple blow for the Matildas forward line heaps even more pressure on breakout star Mary Fowler to lead the line at the Olympics.
Fowler has secured important game time for Manchester City in recent months and broke a goal drought with a brilliant double last weekend.
Veteran striker Michelle Heyman returned to the Matildas team after Kerr’s injury and found the back of the net, a success story coming at a time when fringe forward Larissa Crummer took herself out of the mix by retiring from professional football at just 28 years old.
Star midfielder Katrina Gorry is also currently sidelined with an ankle injury while Clare Hunt is battling a stress fracture in her foot.
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