The Women’s World Cup semifinal clash between Australia and England on Wednesday will be the latest installment in the long rivalry between the nations.
Co-host Australia has the nation behind it as it heads into its first World Cup semifinal, with Stadium Australia expected to be packed with a crowd of around 80,000 fans.
England, however, is the European champion and the favorite to reach the World Cup final, against either Spain or Sweden, for the first time, despite having to first face down a hostile crowd.
England coach Sarina Weigman, who is from the Netherlands, was asked if she fully appreciated the enormity of a match between Australia and England.
“It’s going be really big,” she said.
“But now I’ve had a couple of questions about that so it’s probably going to be bigger than I imagined now.
“I’ll talk to my players and staff and see what that rivalry is.”
The storied rivalry between Australia and England has already added a few episodes this year.
Australia won both the men’s and women’s Ashes cricket series and its netball team rubbed salt in the wound by beating England in the recent World Cup final.
England soccer captain Millie Bright understands how much it means to fans of both countries.
“I don’t think you can’t look forward to that game,” she told reporters after England came back from a goal down to defeat Colombia 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
“This is the biggest tournament in the women’s game to date so what a game to be a part of.
“We’re not just coming here to compete, we’re coming here to get the job done and we’ve shown that in our mentality and character in every single game.”
Teammate Lauren Hemp, who scored the equalizer against Colombia, said the team was ready.
“Australia, bring it on,” she said.
“It’s going to be a packed stadium with so many Australian fans, but we know if we play at our best we are unstoppable.”
England will again be without the suspended Lauren James, but did not miss her in a convincing performance against Colombia in front of a crowd that was roaring on the South Americans.
England may be ranked six places above the Matildas in the FIFA rankings, but Australia is riding a wave of momentum.
The Matildas’ heart-stopping penalty shootout win over France in the quarterfinals was one of the most-viewed sporting events on television in Australia in almost 20 years.
The team has fed off that support in difficult moments and will be banking on more of the same at the imposing Stadium Australia.
The team should also have confidence after its 2-0 win over England in a friendly in April that ended the Lionesses’ 30-match unbeaten run.
Australia also has striker Sam Kerr back in the picture after she was sidelined by a calf injury earlier in the tournament.
Coach Tony Gustavsson’s biggest decision will be whether to start the prolific Chelsea forward.
He has named an unchanged side in the last three games, but Kerr played 65 minutes against France and it looks increasingly likely she will have a bigger role against England.
“What’s good is that we have continuity in what we’re doing,” Gustavsson said.
“We have a clear playing style, so we don’t really need to train to be tactically prepared.
“It’s more about making sure we’re mentally and physically prepared for the semifinal. These players are on a mission.”
Vice captain Steph Catley said the players were “just primed for this moment.”
“We’ve got a perfect little balance of a core group that understand the gravity of the situations and a small group of younger players who might not understand the gravity, which is kind of bliss,” she told reporters.
“You’ve got their confidence and their flair, and then we’ve got mature (players) bringing an understanding to moments like that.”
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