Soccer-World Cup hosts Australia sympathise with Ireland after O'Sullivan injury

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Slovakia v Republic of Ireland - Narodne treningove centrum SFZ, Senec, Slovakia - September 6, 2022 Republic of Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan scores their first goal REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Photo

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Women's World Cup co-hosts Australia have expressed sympathy for Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan after the midfielder suffered a shin injury in an abandoned friendly against Colombia.

O'Sullivan faces a race to be fit for her side's World Cup opener against Australia in Sydney on Thursday after a tackle in a behind-closed-doors warmup last Friday left her needing hospital treatment.