Australia select injured duo in Women's World Cup squad

Australia coach Tony Gustavsson has named injured players Kyah Simon and Alanna Kennedy in his 23-woman squad for the Women's World Cup.

Veteran striker Simon, who missed the 2019 tournament in France due to injury, tore an anterior cruciate ligament in her knee last October and has not played a game since.

Gustavsson said 111-cap Simon, a member of the 2011 and 2015 World Cup squads, was unlikely to be fit for the first match against Ireland on 20 July but was too important as an impact player to be excluded.

"She's not selected on where she is now," he said. "She's selected on where we think she can be in a month from now.

"She’s based on being a game-changer off the bench."

Centre-back Kennedy, whose club season with Manchester City was blighted by injuries and has not featured for Australia in nearly a year, has also been included.

Midfielder Chloe Logarzo missed out after being cut by American club Kansas City in March. She has battled foot problems since recovering from a serious knee problem.

Emily Gielnik, a 57-cap forward, was also omitted after making the 29-player provisional squad, having not played since suffering an ankle injury in March and being cut by English side Aston Villa.

The other players cut were goalkeeper Jada Whyman, midfielder Amy Sayer and forwards Remy Siemsen and Larissa Crummer.

The squad includes 15 players who were part of the squad for the 2019 World Cup in France, with captain Sam Kerr competing in her fourth global tournament.

Seven players will make their World Cup debuts, including defender Clare Hunt and forward Cortnee Vine.

A number of the squad are racing to be fit, including Tameka Yallop and 156-cap centre-back Claire Polkinghorne, but Gustavsson said he was satisfied he had sufficient