Hot on the heels of an exciting Ashes series, England fans are in for another thrilling sporting clash with Australia as the Lionesses take on the Matildas in the Women’s World Cup semi-final. The rivalry is already heating up, with Australian fans snatching up tickets allocated to England and the Australian Daily Telegraph funding a helicopter to spy on an England training session. The newspaper’s stunt resulted in an article titled “11 Poms against a nation: Welcome to the Jungle, Lionesses.”
England secured their spot in the semi-finals after a 2-1 victory against Colombia, while Australia advanced after a penalty shootout win against France. The Lionesses will be without Lauren James due to a two-match ban for stomping on Michelle Alozie during the round of 16 match against Nigeria. However, captain Millie Bright is confident that her team will thrive under the pressure of playing against the hosts and expects a proud moment for the women’s game.
Both managers, Sarina Wiegman and Tony Gustavsson, anticipate a tight and competitive match, with Gustavsson emphasizing the support and belief from the fans as an advantage for his team. Rishi Sunak, the UK Chancellor, has sent a good luck message to the team, stating that the nation’s hopes of beating Australia now rest on the Lionesses.
However, the FA expressed disappointment over reports of tickets allocated to England fans being bought by Australians. They are working with FIFA to review ticketing processes. Back in England, fans are showing their support by displaying flags and decorations, and pubs and fan parks are preparing to welcome supporters for the kick-off.
According to Sky Bet, at the time of writing, England were favored at 5/4 to win in normal time, compared to Australia’s odds of 5/2.