SYDNEY — England have been given some hope that Keira Walsh’s World Cup is not over after scans cleared her of a horror anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
The 26-year-old was substituted in the 38th minute of the Lionesses’ 1-0 victory over Denmark and replaced with Laura Coombs.
The midfielder could be seen mouthing to medical staff “I’ve done my knee” after extending her leg and falling awkwardly. She was later seen on crutches on the bench.
After undergoing scans on Saturday afternoon, Walsh has been ruled out of the Lionesses’ final Group D match against China in Adelaide.
She will remain at England’s base camp in Terrigal, New South Wales, where she will continue her recovery.
“Her knee injury will continue to be assessed by England medical staff and no further update will be provided at this stage,” an FA statement said.
Widely regarded as England’s most influential player and a European Championship winner last summer, head coach Sarina Wiegman admitted Walsh’s injury was a huge “concern” before the prognosis was confirmed.
England are already without three key players – Fran Kirby, Leah Williamson and Beth Mead – due to serious knee injuries, the latter two having ruptured their ACLs.
Given the prevalence of the injury in the women’s game, the worst was immediately feared and England’s World Cup dream looked to be in tatters.
Rachel Daly did not yet know the severity but when it was put to her that her teammate might have damaged her ACL, she replied: “Those three letters scare the you-know-what out of me”.
Speaking from the BBC studio, former striker Ellen White said she had “dreaded” the day England were without Walsh, adding that at the 2022 Euros there had been “no Plan B” to cope with her ever being absent.
However, while there is no guarantee she will be fit for the last 16 and beyond, England will now be optimistic Walsh can recover in time to play some part at the tournament, which they began as one of the favourites.
How England could line up against China without Walsh
Even on a run of luck as miserable like England’s, nobody could have foreseen a turn of fate as cruel as Keira Walsh’s injury.
Walsh immediately turned to the medical staff and mouthed “I’ve done my knee” towards the end of the first half of the 1-0 win over Denmark in the Lionesses’ second World Cup match. The FA are continuing to assess the damage, though immediate fears that she has torn her ACL may have been mistaken.
Even if the midfielder’s injury is not as serious as first thought, as it stands her participation in the rest of the tournament is still in major doubt. Sarina Wiegman was adamant there is a back-up plan in that scenario, in response to former striker Ellen White’s suggestion that at last summer’s European Championship there had been “no Plan B” without Walsh.
Coombs, as a short-term fix, is England’s most natural fit as an alternative but has made just six international appearances and until this year’s Arnold Clark Cup, none since 2015.
“Everything came through Keira,” White had said in the BBC studio. “I dreaded to think of the idea of us ever losing her because she was one of our best players. Beth Mead was scoring all the goals but all of our play came through Keira. She was the key cog, everything moved through her.”
“You’re talking about the Euros, we’re now in a World Cup,” Wiegman told reporters. “You saw the Plan B. You saw what we did, Georgia Stanway dropped back and Laura [Coombs] came in.”
Coombs, as a short-term fix, is England’s most natural fit as an alternative but has made just six international appearances and until this year’s Arnold Clark Cup, none since 2015.
Using Stanway in a deeper role would risk losing her attacking threat, not to mention she is walking a tight rope on a booking and risks a suspension for the round of 16 if she were to receive another yellow card in the China match.
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