SheBelieves Cup: Clare Wheeler out for Matildas through injury ahead of first game against Japan

The Matildas have been forced to make a change to their SheBelieves Cup squad less than a week before their first game with Clare Wheeler withdrawing through injury.

Football Australia said her UK club Everton pulled her from the tournament due to a thigh injury she suffered during the week.

“Wheeler will continue her rehabilitation with the club as part of her return to play plan,” a FA spokesperson said.

“Melbourne Victory FC’s Alana Murphy has been called up as a replacement for Wheeler. The 19-year-old former CommBank Young Matildas’ midfielder has been a key member of Victory during their 2024-25 Ninja A-League campaign which currently has the club in second place.

“Murphy joins Brisbane Roar FC’s Laini Freier as the only uncapped players in the SheBelieves Cup squad.”

Australia open their campaign in the US against Japan on February 19, before taking on host and World No.1 the US on February 22 and then Colombia on February 25.

Wheeler’s injury is another blow to the midfielder’s hopes of establishing herself at national team level.

The 27-year-old also missed last year’s friendlies against Brazil and Taiwan through injury and has consistently been a back-up to midfield stars Katrina Gorry and Kyra Cooney-Cross.

Wheeler’s omission comes a day after Matildas skipper Sam Kerr was cleared of racially harassing a police officer after a drunken night out.

Kerr is now free to return for Australia in April for a series of friendly matches against South Korea.

She is still recovering from an ACL injury that has sidelined her since January last year, but interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni said earlier this month he expected her to return for her club Chelsea in March.

Mary Fowler has returned to the team for the SheBelieves Cup after taking a self-imposed break from international football late last year.

It remains unclear if Kerr will retain her role as captain with the Matildas after what was heard during her trial last week.

Kerr twice called a male officer “f***ing stupid and white” towards the end of an hour-long altercation at Twickenham police station in the early hours of January 30, 2023, after a taxi driver claimed she and her pregnant fiancé Kirsty Mews had refused to pay for damage caused to his cab, including a cleaning fee for Kerr vomiting after a drunken, late night out.

Kerr said in a statement after the verdict she was “fully focused on getting back on to the pitch”.

FA said they welcomed the result and would “reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter”.

“Football Australia invests heavily in building the behavioural standards and expectations of all involved with our game, especially for all our national team players, where leadership comes with added responsibilities on and off the field. Football Australia will reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter and we will continue to provide appropriate support for her moving forward,” it said in a statement.

“We look forward to Sam’s return to the pitch and her continued contributions to both her club and the Matildas on the world stage.”