Keira Walsh avoids ACL injury but will miss England's game against China
- Keira Walsh has NOT suffered an ACL
- She was stretchered off 38 minutes into England's game against Denmark
- The midfielder has not been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup
By Emily Keogh
England's World Cup campaign has been given an enormous boost after the FA revealed that midfielder Keira Walsh has not suffered an ACL injury.
The midfielder was stretchered off 38 minutes into England's 1-0 over Denmark on Friday and appeared to tell physios she had 'done her knee', sparking fears that the could be the latest Lioness to succumb to an ACL problem.
While she has been ruled out of England's next game against China, fans can feel relieved that the injury sustained to the 26-year-old midfielder is not as bad as initially thought and she may yet return this summer.
The FA confirmed in a statement that the Barcelona star will return to base in Terrigal and her knee will continue to be monitored by staff ahead of a final decision on her stay at the tournament.
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Speaking to the press after the Denmark game, Rachel Daly admitted 'those three letters scare the absolute you-know-what out of me' after suggestions Walsh had injured her ACL.
"Fingers, toes, everything crossed for Keira, but that’s football, isn’t it? It’s tough, you have your highs and your lows and you just hope that everything is alright and she’ll be alright for the future. It’s a tough one but hope she’s alright," she continued.
Now knowing that the injury to the integral defensive midfielder is not as bad as initially presumed, manager Sarina Wiegman will be delighted that Walsh has not been ruled out of playing in the remainder of the tournament.
The 2022 Euros final Player of the Match is one of, if not the most important player to the Lionesses, with record goal scorer Ellen White telling the BBC: "I dreaded to think of the idea of us ever losing her because she was one of our best players."
While she has avoided being the third Lioness in the span on nine months to suffer an ACL injury, Walsh's availability for the rest of the tournament is still undecided and her absence, however long that may be, comes as a huge blow.