By Nick Mulvenney
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia and England re-engage one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in sport when they meet with a place in the Women’s World Cup final on the line at a sold out Stadium Australia on Wednesday.
While England boast the pedigree as twice World Cup semi-finalists and winners of the European title last year, Australia’s plucky Matildas have captured the hearts of a nation usually invested in other sports.
Australian rules and rugby league fans may be sketchy on the finer details of the round-ball game but they know ‘Aussie grit’ when they see it, and last Saturday’s dramatic penalty shootout win over France certainly fit the bill.
Sports fans around the country celebrated goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold’s saves and Cortnee Vine’s winning penalty as if the tournament was won, and there has since been blanket media coverage of a sport often disparaged Down Under.
Sydney’s next two biggest stadiums will open their doors to allow ticketless fans to watch Wednesday’s match on big screens and the prime minister has all but promised a public holiday if the co-hosts lift the trophy after Sunday’s final.
Before they start thinking about taking on Spain, however, they must get past an England side who know all about the pressure of performing on home soil after similarly being embraced by their compatriots during last year’s Euros triumph.
In Dutchwoman Sarina Wiegman, they have one of the best coaches in the game and most of their players play for top clubs in highly competitive European leagues.
Their run to the European title forged a bond among the players that has helped them come through several setbacks, not least the loss of key players to injury and suspension before and during the tournament.
Centre half Millie Bright has been outstanding in the three-strong backline, Keira Walsh has settled back into her holding role after injury, and the pace of Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp on the flanks would test any side.
England came through their own penalty shootout drama to get past Nigeria in the round of 16 and should have some support in the 75,000 crowd from travelling fans and Sydney’s large colony of expatriate English.
Before Saturday’s win, much of the narrative around Australia at the tournament focused on the injured calf of the one Matildas player everyone in the country knows, striker Sam Kerr.
Kerr has yet to start a game at the tournament, and is not guaranteed to be on the pitch at kickoff on Wednesday, but forwards like Hayley Raso, Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord have stepped up in her absence.
Australia’s high profile sporting contests against its former colonial masters more usually take place on cricket or rugby pitches and, despite taking a crash course in the rivalry, Wiegman said it remained quite straightforward.
“They want to beat us, and we want to beat them,” she said.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
