ACL agony threatens Matilda Carpenter’s World Cup bid
MATILDAS star Ellie Carpenter will undergo surgery this week after sustaining one of the most dreaded sporting injuries – putting her 2023 World Cup campaign in doubt.
French club Olympique Lyonnais confirmed Carpenter had ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the Champions League final on Sunday morning (AEST).
Carpenter, 22, went down in the 14th minute of the game against Barcelona after pushing off the grass to receive a long pass. She went down grabbing the inside of her left knee.
She was stretchered off the field, covering her face with her hands and with tears in her eyes.
Carpenter did seem to somewhat recover, hobbling onto the field with crutches and her knee in a brace to celebrate Lyon’s Champions League win – giving Matildas fans hope the injury was not as bad as first thought.
However, Lyon shared, in a statement on its website that Carpenter had ruptured her ACL.
“Olympique Lyonnais deplores the serious injury of its defender Ellie Carpenter, out in the 14th minute of play during the final of the Women’s Champions League played against Barcelona (3-1) in Turin,” the statement read.
“The examinations passed by the Australian international have confirmed a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee which will lead to an operation this Wednesday in Lyon.
“Olympique Lyonnais would like to give its full support to Ellie Carpenter, author of 29 matches this season and winner of her second Champions League with OL, who should be unavailable for a minimum of six months.”
ACL injuries can take up to 12 months to heal – leaving Carpenter in a race against time to be fit for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, being hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The tournament, featuring 32 teams, is set to run from July 20 to August 20 – giving her just 14 months to recover.
Carpenter will certainly miss the friendly matches the Matildas have lined up against Spain and Portugal in June.