SYDNEY — England players and staff have rallied around Keira Walsh following the midfielder’s devastating knee injury in the 1-0 win over Denmark.
Walsh left the pitch on a stretcher in the 38th minute after over-extending her leg and ended the night on crutches, with her World Cup apparently in ruins.
“Of course I’m concerned because she couldn’t walk off the pitch but we don’t know yet so we can’t make any assumptions,” Sarina Wiegman stressed.
“Let’s wait until we have a diagnosis then I can tell you. We brought [Georgia] Stanway back [into a holding role] and brought [Laura] Coombs in, of course we needed to find our feet.
“We really dominated the first half then Keira went out and we had to adapt to a new situation. We also showed we could fight and the team showed real resilience. I’m very proud of the team.”
Asked if her players were emotionally affected by the injury, she replied: “No, we were not upset. We just had to find our feet.
“Of course, it’s not nice when a player goes off the pitch that way. But we also know unfortunately, these things happen sometimes in football and you just have to move on and you’re in the World Cup and you want to win the game.
“We really had to adapt to a new situation as quickly as possible and that’s what we did.”
Walsh could be seen mouthing “I’ve done my knee” to England’s medical staff.
Ominously for England, Denmark coach Lars Sondergaard suggested that Walsh’s absence had contributed to his side’s improvement in the second half.
“I felt a little bit sorry for England when they lost Keira Walsh,” he said.
“I hope it’s not as bad as it looked but it could also be the reason why we got back into the game when she was not on the pitch.”
Coombs, who was not expected to play a significant role at this World Cup but who will now be central to England’s chances against China and in the knockout stages, admitted the Lionesses had been “shaken” by the injury.
“I’ve not spoken to her and I don’t know an update but wishing her the best,” she said.
“It’s massively disappointing, she’s one of our best players so it’s never good. I need to speak to her.
“You want to be on the pitch, you don’t want to come on in those circumstances, but happy to be on and try and do my best for the team.”
Striker Beth England backed Coombs to replace Walsh going forward, as an “experienced player” who “maybe people underestimate at this level”.
“I thought she did fantastic coming in for Keira,” England said. “I thought she held the ball up well, linked well, settled straight into the game and it didn’t look like we were missing anything. So I’m really happy for her that she contributed in the way she did.”
Ellen White, who retired after last summer’s European Championship, was more alarmist. In the BBC studio, the former England striker said the Lionesses have had “no Plan B” in the past without Walsh.
“Everything [came] from Keira,” she said. “We appreciated so much that all our play came through her… I just don’t know… who’s going to fill that void.”
Chloe Kelly was adamant “it’s about the 23 players we have here”, while Rachel Daly told BBC Sport: “I am really, really hoping with everything it isn’t anything too serious. Let’s hope it isn’t as bad as it looked and it was only a precaution.”
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