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England has been itching for this game for four months.
That it could end Australia’s party just adds to the drama.
The second World Cup semifinal is being billed as a blockbuster, and with good reason. Four months ago, Australia ended England’s 30-game unbeaten streak — a stretch that included their win at the European championship last summer — and did it in on the Three Lionesses’ home soil.
Now England can play spoiler, the only thing standing in the way of Australia reaching its first-ever final at a major tournament in front of a country full of adoring fans at Stadium Australia.
Follow all the action live and see whether Sam Kerr’s Matildas continue their dream run, or the Lionesses reign supreme. The winner takes on Spain in Sunday’s final.
WORLD CUP CENTRAL: 2023 Women’s World Cup Live Scores, Schedules, Standings, Bracket and More
Australia, England starting lineups today
The big news is that Australia captain and star striker Sam Kerr is in the starting lineup. Kerr began the tournament on the bench with a calf injury and returned in the round of 16. She then played 60 minutes in the team’s quarterfinal victory against France, which went to penalties and caused Kerr to play longer than expected.
Here is Australia’s starting IX:
And here is England’s starting IX, which is unchanged from its quarterfinal team that beat Colombia to advance:
What time is England vs. Australia World Cup match?
Kickoff for the semifinal is scheduled for 6 a.m. ET. That’s 8 p.m. in Sydney, Australia, where the match will be held.
How to watch England vs. Australia: TV channel, streaming
All 2023 World Cup games are broadcast in the U.S. by Fox, on both its main channel and FS1. The match is also available to stream on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app. Spanish-language coverage will be on Telemundo.
You can stream the match with any service that provides live TV, including DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, Peacock (in Spanish) and Fubo.
England vs. Australia predictions
Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist: I’ve been wrong on pretty much all of mine, so take this for what it’s worth. England should win, but Australia has been building into this tournament. Having Sam Kerr healthy enough to start is big, and you cannot discount the motivation the Matildas will get from knowing they’ve captivated the whole country. So Australia, 2-1.
Lindsay Schnell, USA TODAY Sports reporter: You can’t pick against the home country, right? It’s time to see Sam Kerr at her best. She’ll score the only goal of the game — her first in the 2023 World Cup — leading her team to a thrilling (and anxiety-inducing) 1-0 victory over England.
Alicia DelGallo, USA TODAY Sports senior editor: Sam Kerr scores quickly in her first start, launching momentum for the Matildas that England can’t break. Australia goes on to its first-ever World Cup final and the entire country goes wild.
Why is Australia called The Matildas?
Believe it or not, it’s because of fans.
In 1994, after qualifying for its first-ever World Cup, the women’s team needed a nickname. So the federation, working with Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service, held a vote and the Matildas, a nod to the famous Australian song “Waltzing Matilda,” won.
Because it’s fun to think about the road not taken, the other options were: The Soccertoos, The Blue Flyers, The Waratahs and The Lorikeets.
World Cup standings and schedule
The 2023 World Cup is close to finishing, with the final set for Saturday at 6 a.m. ET. Spain is headed to the championship after beating Sweden 2-1 in a thrilling semifinal that had tons of action the last 10 minutes. You can catch up on all the World Cup standings and schedule at our main World Cup hub.
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