England v Australia – live updates: England’s women face hostile crowd as co-hosts stand in way of first ever World Cup final

By admin On Aug 16, 2023

Key points

Rob Harris

08:10:47 In pictures: Flags, scarves and hats – England supporters prepare for semi-final

Donning flags, scarves and hats, England fans are preparing for today’s match outside the Sydney Opera house.

Kick off isn’t for another three hours, but this group is already geared up and ready to go…

07:57:07 How each team made it to semi-finals

England enjoyed an ultimately comfortable passage out of the group stage, winning all three matches.

The Lionesses recorded 1-0 victories over both Haiti and Denmark, and a 6-1 thrashing of China.

The knockout stages have proved tougher for England so far, however, with penalties needed to defeat Nigeria in the round of 16 after an 87th-minute red card for star player Lauren James.

An attritional performance against Colombia saw them notch up a 2-1 win and set up the semi-final clash.

Australia, for their part, suffered a slightly nervier group stage.

After a narrow 1-0 win over Ireland in their opening game, they lost 3-2 to Nigeria – but qualified as group winners after beating Canada 4-0 in their third tie.

A 2-0 victory over Denmark in the round of 16 ensured they reached their fourth World Cup quarter-finals.

And in a tense game that England will hope drained the Australian players’ physical and emotional energy, the Matildas secured their passage to the semis with a 7-6 penalty shoot-out defeat of France after a match that finished 0-0 after extra time.

07:47:41 England ‘will thrive’ under pressure of 75,000-crowd in Sydney

England will thrive playing Australia in front of roughly 75,000 fans in Sydney, captain Millie Bright said ahead of today’s semi-final.

Far from being intimidated, Bright sees the prospect of a raucous, sell-out crowd in Stadium Australia as a sign of welcome progress for women’s football.

“That is what we expect now – for us to thrive in those moments,” she said.

“It is a proud moment for the women’s game back home when they see what an atmosphere there is.

“It’s about turning up, showing up, performing and enjoying the game.

“It is important to adapt to the game whatever they give to us. We have faced many different challenges and we have adapted really well.”

07:46:58 Five things to look out for in England’s World Cup semi-final

By Rob Harris, sports correspondent

Coaches collide

Coaches from the 2019 final are colliding again at a World Cup – with different teams.

Tony Gustavsson was assistant to Jill Ellis as the United States lifted the trophy in Lyon and the Swede has stepped up to Australia’s top job.

Sarina Wiegman was the losing Netherlands coach, but she is a double European Championship winner with her homeland and masterminded England’s first major women’s title last year at the Euros.

She is leading the way for female coaches.

When this World Cup began, only 12 of the 32 managers were women – and she was the last standing by the quarter-finals.

“What we hope is to get more female football coaches at the top level and the balance gets better than it is right now,” Wiegman said.

“Of course males are welcome too. There are lots of males who have done a very good job in the women’s game, but if the balance is better that will also inspire other women to start coaching.”

England’s search for goals

England have been coping without key attacking threats.

Beth Mead, top scorer at the Euros last year, was ruled out of the England squad after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament.

And Lauren James, who led the way with three goals and three assists for England at this World Cup, is completing a two-game ban for a stamp during the Nigeria last-16 clash.

After England drew a blank against Nigeria – winning only penalties – the goals did flow again in the 2-1 quarter-final win against Colombia from Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo.

Sam Kerr’s fitness

What is more surprising?

Australia reaching the semi-finals? Or progressing mostly without Sam Kerr?

The star striker was nursing a calf injury at the start of the tournament – missing the entire group stage, before managing 65 minutes across the last two matches as a substitute.

Australia manager Tony Gustavsson said: “The way she pushed through was fantastic and impressive, both from a mental and physical aspect.”

Kerr has already scored against England once this year – netting in the 2-0 win that ended their 30-game unbeaten start under Wiegman in April. But England haven’t been beaten since then -with five successive wins (albeit including one after a penalty shoot-out) at the World Cup.

England’s investment

England is the destination of choice for Matildas to play.

It’s a sign of the strength of English football that 10 members of today’s opposing squad are signed up to Women’s Super League clubs – including Kerr at Chelsea and fellow forward Caitlin Foord at Arsenal.

The professionalism of the WSL is what attracted Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold to West Ham.

And Matildas boss Gustavsson believes the FA’s investment in women’s football – outweighing theirs – gives the Lionesses the edge in their semi-final showdown.

Stadium history

Stadium Australia brings back fond memories of one of England’s greatest sporting achievements.

But Lionesses captain Millie Bright was too young to remember Jonny Wilkinson securing Rugby World Cup glory in 2003 at the expense of Australia.

The venue’s iconic moment for Australians on the world stage came in 2000 during the Sydney Olympics.

Carrying the weight of the nation on her shoulders, Cathy Freeman was the first Olympian to light the cauldron and win gold at the same Games.

Never before had an Aboriginal person from Australia won individual gold

It was an iconic moment – surging to victory in the 400 metres in front of more than 112,000 spectators before displaying both the red, yellow and black Aboriginal flag and the Australian flag on the victory lap.

07:44:34 The preamble

England are facing the co-hosts in the last four at Sydney’s sold-out 75,000 Stadium Australia.

Manager Sarina Wiegman’s players are considered marginal favourites to defeat the Matildas today but, in a point she made in pre-match news conference (more on that later), whether this is actually true is debatable.

While England have a better collection of players on paper and are six places higher in the women’s rankings, Australia enjoy home advantage, which is likely to prove significant.

England are also depleted by key injuries and suspensions – issues which we’ll also discuss in more detail.

In any event, the match is delicately poised.

Raising the stakes (and pressure) further, history will be made irrespective of who wins today – as it would be the first time either has reached the Women’s World Cup final.

07:43:20 Welcome to our live coverage of England v Australia

Just a year since their European Championships triumph, England are hoping to make more history today as they attempt to reach the Women’s World Cup final for the first time.

The clash is taking place at Stadium Australia in Sydney, with kick-off at 11am UK time.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates in the build-up to and during the match.

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