Matildas forward Kyah Simon is optimistic she can avoid missing a second consecutive World Cup, and her first on home soil, through injury despite tearing her anterior cruciate ligament.
The Tottenham striker's knee injury, confirmed by her Super League club on Tuesday night (AEST) ruled her out of friendlies against South Africa and Denmark on Saturday and next Wednesday respectively.
The setback, Simon's second career ACL tear after previously suffering the injury in October 2013, comes ahead of the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand from July.
The nine-month timeline leaves the door slightly ajar for the crucial attacker's return, but she will face an uphill battle to find both fitness and form in time for selection.
"Feared the worst, devastated to have torn my ACL in Sunday's game," Simon tweeted.
"Sport can sometimes be so cruel, I'll do everything to be back as soon as I can."
Surgery is imminent and a Matildas spokesperson said Simon will still be "working towards the women's World Cup in 2023".
If the 31-year-old is unable to return to full fitness in time for the tournament, it will be a hefty blow to Australia's attacking stocks.
Simon was Australia's leading scorer at the 2011 and 2015 World Cups but missed the 2019 tournament through injury.
She had ankle surgery in December leading into the 2019 tournament, but then injured her hamstring.
Then-coach Ante Milicic overlooked Simon for his 2019 squad in favour of a 16-year-old Mary Fowler, citing a lack of playing time.
Matildas captain Sam Kerr urged her teammate to "come back stronger than ever" on social media.
Simon has scored 29 goals in 111 appearances for Australia since her 2007 debut, playing in the A-League Women, the United States and the Netherlands before the move to England.
She was due back from a separate injury to face South Africa in London, having missed last month's back-to-back losses to Canada in Australia.
Simon was one of four Matildas ruled out of the friendlies this week.
Emily van Egmond (quad strain), Tameka Yallop (ankle) and Clare Wheeler (knee) have also been withdrawn from the squad due to injuries sustained at club level.
Forward Remy Siemsen and defenders Emma Checker and Matilda McNamara will replace them.
Fellow Matilda Ellie Carpenter is still recovering from tearing her ACL in the Champions League final in May, while midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight is back playing at club level in Sweden after a horror run of knee issues.
