Kyra Cooney-Cross, a Matildas star and Arsenal player, returned to action after taking time off due to her mother's terminal cancer diagnosis. She was warmly welcomed back by fans during a preseason game against Paris FC on August 17. Cooney-Cross has been absent from football for over five months, missing the end of last season and the start of this one to care for her mother. In her first match back, Arsenal secured a 1-0 win over Paris FC in Borehamwood.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Kyra Cooney-Cross, a star player for Arsenal's women's team and Matildas, was welcomed back to the team in a preseason game against Paris FC after a nearly five-month absence. Her mother, Jessica Cooney, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in January 2023, and Cooney-Cross took compassionate leave from the team to care for her until her death on July 10, 2023. Cooney-Cross returned to the field for the first time since March, playing a key role in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Paris FC in Borehamwood on *no date given*.
Written for “Matilda Football Team” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 2007 · logged 2026-08-28
In short:
Kyra Cooney-Cross has been warmly welcomed back in Arsenal's preseason game against Paris FC.
asserted
Cross → welcome → FC
The Matildas star missed the end of last season after her mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Jessica Cooney died on July 10, with Cooney-Cross saying her mum was her "biggest inspiration and the person I aspire to be".
asserted
I → miss → July
Matildas midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross has played her first match in more than five months after taking time away from football to spend time with her mother before her death.
asserted
Cross → play → death
Cooney-Cross was sent on in the 63rd minute as Arsenal recorded a 1-0 pre-season win over Paris FC in Borehamwood.
asserted
Arsenal → send → Borehamwood
The 67-time international recorded her first minutes since the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup final in March, when she started in the Matildas' 1-0 loss to Japan in Sydney.
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she → record → Sydney
Cooney-Cross announced on January 8 via Instagram that her mother Jessica Cooney was diagnosed with terminal Stage 4 bile duct cancer.
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mother → announce → cancer
She died on July 10.
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She → die → July
Arsenal manager Renee Slegers confirmed on March 28 Cooney-Cross was granted indefinite compassionate leave and would remain in Australia after the Asian Cup to be with her mother.
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Cross → confirm → mother
"You're my biggest inspiration and the person I aspire to be," Cooney-Cross wrote on social media after her mother's death.
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Cross → aspire → death
"Mum, my favourite part is knowing that I'm a little piece of you.
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I → know → you
The 24-year-old returned to Arsenal's pre-season training on August 17, with the Gunners' Women's Super League campaign set to begin on Sunday evening against former Socceroo Dario Vidosic's Brighton & Hove Albion.
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campaign → return → Albion
Cooney-Cross received a rousing ovation at Meadow Park as she was substituted on alongside compatriot Steph Catley.
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she → receive → Catley
The former A-League Women's star with Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers was involved in the build up to Canadian attacker Olivia Smith's 91st minute winner.
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star → involve → winner
The Addicks signed Australian trio Emily van Egmond, who marked a national record 170 international appearances during the AFC Women's Asian Cup, alongside fellow Matildas midfielder Leah Davidson and youth international Grace Johnston, following the club's promotion from the Women's Super League 2 in May.
uncertain
who → sign → May
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jada Whyman is returning to A-League club Sydney FC after a stint in Sweden.
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Whyman → return → Sweden
Whyman is yet to play for the Matildas but has been selected in multiple national squads.
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Whyman → play → squads