Australia vs England live updates: Women's World Cup 2023 team ...

Ed Mackey and Noah Murray

August 16, 2023 at 3:25 AM EDT

Walking down Palm Beach Avenue, it’s easy to forget Australia is facing England in the World Cup semi-final tonight. This street is miles from stadiums where games are played, and everyday beach life carries on.

Every now and then, though, you get a subtle reminder: like the clerk at the liquor store wearing his Australia jersey, scarf and green and gold beanie; or the small group of coworkers walking out of their office building chatting about the team. “Yeah, the goalie went to school here,” one woman tells her colleague. "No kidding," he responds.

That goalie? Probably Mackenzie Arnold who attended Palm Beach Currumbin State High School, barely one mile down the road.

The Gold Coast seems like a sleepy coastal town.

Coffee shops are mostly shut by three. And on a recent winter afternoon in mid-August, locals were drawn to the beach as the sun pushed temperatures near 75 degrees. Friends shared a meal. Siblings raced one another along the coastline. A man played with his puppy that still stumbled to walk.

This is just a slice of Queensland, where a surprising number of Matildas call home. Those who grew up here say soccer development for girls and women is a priority, so it makes sense. As an outsider, I can’t help but envy how, even in the winter, it’s perfect soccer weather here.

You can feel it in the airport. The Matildas are playing tonight.

All month long, there have been subtle reminders inside this transportation hub that the FIFA Women’s World Cup is being played here. This morning, though, Aussies have touched down in Sydney from all over, disembarking from planes dawning their Maltidas gear proudly.

One sign near Terminal 52 sums the hopes for tonight pretty well: “Wednesday Night Thriller.”

Today's game is the final one that England must play without Lauren James.

Her suspension for being shown a red card against Nigeria was upgraded to a two-match ban by FIFA after she stepped on Michelle Alozie.

Ella Toone took her place in the quarter-final win against Colombia, but Sarina Weigman may opt for a more defensive alteration against the co-hosts.

Fortunately, the England manager has Keira Walsh at her disposal. After she went off on a stretcher in the first half against Denmark, there were worries of a serious injury, but the Barcelona midfielder has played in the last two games and is expected to continue against Australia.

The whole nation of Australia is asking the same question: Is Sam Kerr fit to start against England?

The Chelsea striker made her first appearance of this Women's World Cup in the second half of the quarter-final against France and she converted her penalty to help her side to a famous victory.

Her impact off the bench was clear for all to see, so the same interjection from the bench might be sought against England.

With the risk of the game requiring 30 minutes of extra-time, a start for Kerr might still be deemed a step too far.

The official colors of Emmanuel College in Australia’s Gold Coast might be navy blue and white, but today there was a green and gold takeover as students across the K-12 spectrum donned jubilant outfits over their uniforms in honor of the Matildas’ highly anticipated semifinal. Hayley Raso, one of the team’s breakout stars at this World Cup, is among Emmanuel College’s esteemed alumni, and current students cannot wait to cheer her on tonight.

At lunchtime, many of them eschewed their meals and outdoor activities to gather near the central lawn to cheer and scream for the roving cameras of local broadcasters. Above the heads of the adolescent celebrants stood two tall frames atop a tripod: one of Raso’s jersey, and the other of a blown-up magazine photo of Raso with the current chant heard round the country emblazoned across the top: Go Matildas!

England 0-0 Nigeria (4-2 on penalties)

Nigeria enjoyed the better of things in Sydney, but England managed to deny the African side any clear cut opportunities.

Lauren James, arguably the star of the tournament so far, received a red card for a nonsensical step on the back of Nigerian defender Michelle Alozie.

However, England survived through extra time and ultimately prevailed on penalties after Nigeria failed to hit the target with two of their spot kicks.

GO FURTHER

England beat Nigeria on penalties: Lionesses through despite James red – instant analysis

Australia 2-0 Denmark

Tony Gustavsson's Australia, buoyed by the return of Sam Kerr, cruised into the quarter-finals with a relatively straightforward victory over Denmark.

Caitlin Foord gave the co-hosts the lead on the stroke of the half hour mark before Real Madrid new signing Hayley Raso sealed the victory.

GO FURTHER

Hayley Raso: My Game in My Words

Matildas fever is in full force.

Sydney is running extra trains to the stadium to account for traffic (and a concert in the same complex tonight) with green and gold balloons on the platform and even with 4 hours to kickoff, my train is pretty full.

England made an unconvincing start to their World Cup campaign, scraping 1-0 victories against Haiti and Denmark, before bursting into life defeating China 6-1 in the final group game to seal their place atop Group D in large part down to the magic of Lauren James.

GO FURTHER

England 1-0 Denmark analysed: James takes her chance but worries over Walsh

Australia kicked off their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over World Cup debutants, Ireland, at Stadium Australia thanks to Steph Catley's penalty. A comprehensive 4-0 victory over Canada in the final game in Group B sealed their place on top of the group after Nigeria failed to capitalise on their shock 3-2 victory over Australia by drawing with Ireland.

GO FURTHER

Women’s World Cup 2023: Australia team guide

England’s first appointment from outside the United Kingdom and the first to deliver a piece of major silverware for the women’s team, Wiegman has led England to success at the European Championships and in the Finalissima (UEFA vs. CONMEBOL Super Cup) but the World Cup would be the crowning glory of her reign.

Wiegman made 104 appearances for the Dutch national team and played her entire senior career with Ter Leede where she won two Dutch championships, before going into management with them in 2006.

Following successes with ADO Den Haag, including an Eredivisie title in 2012, Wiegman moved into the Dutch national team set-up, initially as assistant manager in 2014, becoming head coach in 2017.

During her time as the Netherlands manager she won the 2017 European Championship and took her team to the 2019 World Cup final where they lost 2-0 against the United States.

Tony Gustavsson has been Australia manager since January 2021, leaving Swedish men’s side Hammarby where he was a first team coach, and previously the manager.

A forward during his playing career, confined to the lower leagues of Sweden, Gustavsson moved into management in 2000 with Ytterhogdals while also playing for the club.

Gustavsson has moved between the men and women's game on several occasions but is best known for his two stints as the United States women assistant manager, supporting Jill Ellis to win two World Cups in 2015 and 2019.

Powered by Sam Kerr’s goals, will he get a third winners medal?

GO FURTHER

Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson gives England edge in overall women’s football development

Tori Penso (USA):

In September 2020, Penso ended a 20 year wait to be the first female referee in Major League Soccer since Sandra Hunt in May 2000.

Penso has already taken nine MLS games this season including leading the league’s first all-female on-field refereeing team as Vancouver Whitecaps drew 0-0 with Colorado Rapids. Penso previously took charge of five 2022 Under-20 Women’s World Cup matches, including one of the semi-finals.

The gazes were distant and so were Australia’s World Cup hopes.

It was July 27, and the Matildas had just lost 3-2 to Nigeria in their second match of the World Cup. This had been a frightened performance, overwhelmed by both the weight of expectation and Nigeria’s own belligerence.

At that point, no host country had ever gone out of the Women’s World Cup in the group stages. Having entered as potential winners, Australia needed to beat Olympic champions Canada to avoid that fate. They would have to do it without their best player.

The clouds had gathered and the vultures were swooping. Australia’s tournamet appeared little more than a carcass to be picked over.

Tony Gustavsson needed answers. If they weren’t forthcoming, he needed a shield at the very least. The affable Swede, formerly Jill Ellis’ assistant with the USWNT, was facing a third successive major tournament failure and was being assailed by criticism on every side. Listen to this roll call.

Read more below.

GO FURTHER

Australia have recovered from blow of Kerr injury and are on cusp of immortality

As it so often is at major tournaments, the knockout stage has been a series of unforgettable moments: World-class goals, extraordinary penalty shootouts and baffling red cards.

11 days later and just three teams remain in with a shout of lifting the Women's World Cup trophy on Sunday.

Today's game is set to be the most exciting so far as the European champions and pre-tournament favourites are in town to face the co-hosts who will have the backing of almost all 75,000 fans inside Stadium Australia in Sydney.

Neither team favoured to advance

Australia to advance to the final: 50%.

England to advance to the final: 50%.

All of our predictions for the 2023 Women’s World Cup are powered by Nielsen’s Gracenote, who have used a proprietary football ranking system to estimate the chances of different results for every possible match through extensive simulations, to assess the chances for each team to reach different stages of the tournament.

If you want to tune into today's game, here are your options.

Australia vs England isn't a fixture storied with history in football.

But in other sports, cricket in particular, it is one of the great sporting rivalries.

The Ashes — a cricket series played between the nations every other year — originated in 1882 and has rarely been more ferocious than it is currently.

Both the men's and women's series have just been played in England and both entertaining series ended in draws.

Ashes decider today, anyone?

The winner of today's game will meet Spain in Sunday's final after they scored a stoppage-time winner to beat Sweden 2-1 in the first semi-final yesterday.

That winning goal — scored from the edge of the penalty area by Olga Carmona — came less than two minutes after substitute Rebecka Blomqvist had levelled the scoreline.

But, it was the scorer of the first goal, Salma Paralluelo, who stole the show. She replaced Alexia Putellas with a little more than half an hour left and turned in one of the great Women's World Cup performances.

Her well-taken opening goal was the ultimate stamp of authority in a match that she dominated the latter stages of.

Her, as well as her Spanish team mates, will take plenty of stopping in Sunday's final.