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We are three days into the Women's World Cup and while the on-field action has been exhilarating, the off-field drama has been just as attention grabbing.
Here's the five talking points heading into the third day of action.
1. Kerr confident her World Cup dreams aren't over
Calf injuries are notoriously difficult to figure out.
A grade one strain can fix itself in a week to 10 days. Up it to a grade two, and you're talking four to six weeks. A grade three — where you're really struggling to walk at all — is three months.
While we can safely rule out that Samantha Kerr has a grade three tear, the grade two injury is the most common in sport and would be a worse case scenario for a Matildas team desperate to get their star on the field, and a tournament eager to have its most marketable player doing backflips again.
So far, Football Australia has only confirmed that Kerr will miss the July 27 clash with Nigeria, with a definitive 'no comment' on the game against Canada on July 31.
Given the Nigeria game is eight days after the injury, and the Canada game is 12 days, everything points to the less serious grade one tear — but this is sport, where smoke and mirrors are just as important as boots and balls.
When asked at Brisbane Airport whether her tournament was over, Kerr was definitive.
"Definitely not," she said.
When asked whether she would be seen at the Canada game, it was just as assured.
"Of course, I'll be there," she said.
Whether that will be on the ground, or watching from the sidelines, remains to be seen.
2. FIFA goes scorched earth on video from stadiums
In a battle between the International Olympic Committee and FIFA around who is more protective of vision from their events, it would likely end in a vicious tie of scorched earth copyright claims.
FIFA is notorious for its strict rules around images, and is at pains every major tournament to warn the media around what it can and can't do in and around its stadiums.
Ultimately, the organisation has every right to protect its lucrative broadcast deals, but it's an approach that is catching many fans unaware.
Plenty of supporters posting vision online from the Matildas victory over Ireland found out the hard way that FIFA doesn't mess around when it comes to its rights, with copyright notices flying thick and fast around some fairly innocuous footage.
One fan told The Age that he posted vision on Instagram of Steph Catley's penalty, before sweeping around to show the crowd in raptures. Hours later, the vision was deleted.
"I took some footage throughout the game, including the penalty, which was at the far end of the ground," he said.
"Then I sort of looped around and got some of the amazing crowd reactions.
"Later, around midnight, I uploaded it on Instagram. In the early hours of the morning I opened Instagram and there was a copyright notice and the video had been deleted."
FIFA for its part said it uses algorithms to track down pirate broadcasters, and that meant that some well-meaning fan footage would occasionally be swept up in the hunt.
3. Dutch blow up at training conditions in New Zealand
The Netherlands has accused the Women's World Cup of amateurish organisation as they complained about their training conditions in New Zealand — but they are still using the Bay Oval in Tauranga to prepare for their opening game on Sunday.
Coach Andries Jonker told reporters he feared his players could be injured on the field, which has a hard cricket pitch in the middle, and which the Dutch had asked be taken out months ago.
"When we arrived here on Wednesday, I thought, 'now what is this now?' I will not train on this," he said of the Test cricket venue in the Bay of Plenty area.
"We have raised concerns about the cricket pitch previously, we were promised things and now we are very disappointed and angry. We are not satisfied.
"We want to play a good first match against Portugal here, we want to have a top preparation, a top tournament and we also consider ourselves a top team. This does not fit. This fits with amateurism of the highest order."
The Netherlands play Portugal at 5.30pm AEST on Sunday.
4. Huge boost for the Lionesses ahead of Haiti opener
England captain Millie Bright has been cleared to start the Lionesses' opener against Haiti tonight in a significant boost for coach Sarina Weigman.
Bright injured her knee in Chelsea's Champions League quarterfinal first leg with Lyon in March, limiting her preparation time for the tournament.
"I'm grateful that I'm able to play and super excited to be here," she said Friday.
"I was surrounded by the best people, so I was very confident in my recovery. I've been given absolutely everything that I needed to be in this position."
Injuries have plagued the Lionesses, who won the European Championship last year, in their lead up to the Women's World Cup. Beth Mead, Fran Kirby and Leah Williamson, who were all projected starters for the team, have been ruled out.
"Unfortunately, injuries are a part of football," said Bright, who replaced Williamson as captain for the tournament.
"We have to look forward and move forward. We have an amazing group of players and staff, and everyone has stepped up. We're ready to go."
5. English goalkeeper angry at Nike over shirt sales
Adidas-sponsored goalkeeper Mary Earps said she was hurt and disappointed by Nike's decision to not sell her England jersey at the World Cup.
Nike did not return requests for comment after Earps publicised her frustration following what she said were months of closed-door negotiations with the company. Nike is the official uniform supplier for England.
"I can't really sugar-coat this in any way, so I am not going to try," Earps said.
"It is hugely disappointing and very hurtful."
Earps was told her kit was not sold last summer for England's Euros triumph due to manufacturing issues and that the issue would not happen again.
Nike, supplier of the uniforms for England's women's national team, has no current sponsorship of female goalkeepers, with reports suggesting goalkeeper attire — which differs from outfield players — is not part of Nike's commercial strategy.
England won the Euro 2022 title, beating Germany 2-1 in front of a record crowd for the women's tournament of more than 87,000 at London's Wembley Stadium. Earps started in goal as the Lionesses won their first major international trophy, and FIFA named her the Best Women's Goalkeeper of 2022.
Earps has played in the Women's Premier League for Manchester United since 2019.
"My shirt on the Manchester United website was sold out last season," Earps said.
"It was the third-best-selling shirt, so who says it is not selling?"
Women's World Cup day three schedule (AEST)
USA v Vietnam — 11am in Auckland
Zambia v Japan — 5pm in Hamilton
England v Haiti — 7.30pm in Brisbane
Denmark v China — 10pm in Perth
ABC/AAP/Reuters/AP
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