Key Points
- The Matildas play in their semi-final on Wednesday night at 8pm against England's Lionesses.
- Australia and England have only played each other five times and have two wins apiece and one draw.
- This will be the first time the teams face each other in a World Cup.
The Matildas are two games away from possibly taking out a historic home Women's World Cup, the culmination of a lifetime of dreaming and a crazy month of football fever that has hit Australia hard.
Standing in their way are England's Lionesses, who Australia play in their semi-final on Wednesday night at 8pm at Sydney's Stadium Australia.
England know what it's like to win a major tournament at home, having lifted the Euros trophy in July 2022.
But Australia say they are going into the tournament confident and learned lessons when they beat England 2-0 during a friendly match in April.
The Matildas ended England's 30-match winning streak and notched the only defeat of Sarina Wiegman's tenure as coach - 38 games so far.
How have England fared at the Women's World Cup so far?
England beat China, Haiti and Denmark to top their group, scoring eight goals and conceding just one in the process.
In the Round of 16 they knocked out Nigeria and then sent Colombia home in their quarter-final in Sydney on Saturday night.
Can Australia beat England at the Women's World Cup?
Australia and England have only played each other five times and have two wins apiece and one draw, but the stakes have never been as high as they are now. This will be the first time they have faced each other in a World Cup.
The Matildas can emulate the famous United States team of 1999 and win the Women's World Cup on home soil, football icon Brandi Chastain says.
Chastain, who scored the winning penalty against China in the final at the Rose Bowl then famously whipped her shirt off and dropped to her knees in celebration, is backing the Matildas to make sporting history.
United States' Brandi Chastain celebrates after scoring the game-winning overtime penalty shootout goal against China during the Women's World Cup final in 1999. Source: AAP / Lacy Atkins
"They have a very complementary starting XI, maybe first 15 players. But they have a full roster that is experienced.
"In terms of the external things there is not one person or one media outlet out there in the webisphere that is probably putting more pressure than they are putting on themselves already, so that is just white noise."
England are in their third consecutive Women's World Cup semi-final and were among the pre-tournament favourites.
Australia coach Tony Gustavsson wouldn't be drawn into who were the favourites for the match but made comments on Tuesday suggesting Australia might be the underdogs.
England captain Millie Bright (left) celebrates with Jess Carter after knocking Colombia out of the Women's World Cup in the quarter-finals. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins
"And then you compare to us: we have bench players in those teams. We have players playing in A-League, we have players playing in mid-table teams in Sweden.
"So if you look at all that and you look at resources financially, obviously they are a massive favourite going into this game.
"But if you then add the belief we have, but the one thing that we have that they don't have is the support and the belief from the fans and that itself is going to be massive tomorrow."
England counterpart Wiegman responded: "First of all, I don't think they're an underdog.
"They playing at home. The stadium will be really full.
"There's two teams that are very good, very strong, have grown into the tournament.
"So I think it's going to be very tight and it's going to be very, very competitive and we approach the game as any other game."
Who is England coach Sarina Wiegman?
England's head coach Sarina Wiegman has only ever lost one match at a Women's World Cup. Source: AAP / Zac Goodwin
Gustavsson was Jill Ellis' assistant when the United States beat the Wiegman-led Netherlands in the 2019 Women's World Cup final.
"First of all, I have to say Sarina - what a work she's done with every team she's worked with," Gustavsson said.
"And it's no coincidence that she has lifted the best coach in the world three times or so.
"Very impressive coach - her stats talk for (themselves) in terms of tournament football.
The Dutch coach has been in charge of the Lionesses since September 2021, moving over after nearly five years coaching the Netherlands' women's team.
Wiegman had guided the Orange Lionesses to victory at the Euros in 2017 and runners-up at the 2019 Women's World Cup.
She played 104 times for the team from from 1987 to 2001 and played club football there and in the United States, having to work almost full time as a teacher simultaneously.
England are missing big players due to injury
The lineup England won the Euros with has had a few changes and is missing several strong players including captain Leah Williamson.
Williamson had to miss the Women's World Cup due to a serious knee injury as did striker Beth Mead.
Am going to tweak to Lauren James was sent off for standing on Nigeria's Michelle Alozie during their Round of 16 match in Brisbane and will miss the semi-final. Source: AAP / Darren England
Young star Lauren James scored three goals in the early rounds of the World Cup but will miss the Australia game after being banned for two matches following a red card against Nigeria.
The forward was dismissed for deliberately standing on the back of Nigeria defender Alozie with three minutes of normal time remaining in their Round of 16 Brisbane.
England have adapted by employing young forwards Alessia Russo, Ella Toone, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp. Russo and Hemp scored the team's goals in the 2-1 win over Colombia.
Wiegman has experimented with the shape of England's backline but Jess Carter and Alex Greenwood have filled the Williamson-shaped hole.
England have other big stars to draw on in goalkeeper Mary Earps, who was named FIFA's best goalkeeper earlier in the year, and Barcelona midfielder Keira Walsh, who still holds the record for most expensive signing in women's football. The Spanish giants signed her from Manchester City in March for an estimated $670,000.
