France are expecting Sam Kerr to start for Australia in their mammoth Women's World Cup quarter final clash on Saturday.
Kerr, 29, came off the bench for the final 10 minutes of the Matildas' 2-0 win over Denmark in the last-16 on Monday, returning from a calf injury picked up on the eve of the tournament.
Her appearance has sent a major warning to the rest of the competition, but French midfielder Kenza Dali insists her side will be ready for the Chelsea superstar.
'I think she's a great player and I hope for her, she's going to play,' Dali said after France set up the quarter-final clash with a 4-0 win over Morocco on Tuesday night.
'It must have been really sad and frustrating for her to watch from the side.
'I do believe she's prepared herself for us and she's going to be there, I'm a hundred per cent sure.'
Kerr was seen with a bandage on her calf on Wednesday as she stepped up her training ahead of the big match, but veteran midfielder Tameka Yallop believes the Matildas are 'more than capable' of winning the tournament without a major contribution from their captain.
Australia's squad was split into two at training, with the starting team from Monday night's 2-0 win over Denmark at a separate recovery venue ahead of Saturday's knockout quarter-final against France.
Kerr, who looked lively in her first minutes off the bench for the tournament having overcome a calf injury, and the rest of the players who played reduced minutes or sat on the bench against the Danes were put through their paces at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre.
She went through a host of stretches with the other players and didn't seem in any discomfort.
The success of the Matildas without Kerr in the starting line-up has posed questions about
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