England vs. Australia live updates: Women’s World Cup 2023 top plays

Australia is taking on powerhouse England on Wednesday (on FOX and the FOX Sports app) in a must-see semifinals matchup at Sydney’s Stadium Australia.

After just barely surviving group play, Australia is on the verge of playing in the final while also hosting the World Cup. It would be the first time since 1999 that a country hosting the event played for the women’s title (the United States did so, winning against China in the finals that year).

For England, a win would mean its first finals appearance at the World Cup in the country’s history.

Follow our live coverage below, featuring live analysis from FOX Sports’ Michael Cohen!

England vs. Australia

PREGAME

Setting the stage

Australia vs. England Preview | World Cup Tonight

The “World Cup Tonight” crew previewed the Australia vs. England matchup in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup semifinals and discussed whether Sam Kerr can lead the Matildas to the finals.

Australia’s Outlook:

Manager Tony Gustafsson made his biggest call of the tournament by selecting star striker Sam Kerr in his starting lineup for the semifinal against England. Kerr, who suffered a calf injury in the final days of training before the World Cup, has only appeared in two matches thus far and came off the bench both times. She’s played a total of 77 minutes.`

Gustafsson’s team is seeking to become just the second host nation to reach the Women’s World Cup final, with the United States being the last side to do so in 1999. It’s the second time the Australians have reached the semifinals of a global tournament after finishing fourth at the Olympics two years ago. The Matildas have lost just twice in their last 15 matches by going 12-1-2 during that stretch.

Players to Watch:

Sam Kerr — The 29-year-old Chelsea star has created two chances and registered two shots in her brief appearances off the bench. But over the course of her international career, Kerr is averaging roughly one goal every two matches. Her speed and willingness to make runs in behind will test the England back line, which includes two of her club teammates at Chelsea.

GK Mackenzie Arnold — A hero in Australia’s shootout win over France to reach the semifinals, Arnold has been a central figure for a defensive unit that has kept four clean sheets in five games, the most of any team in the tournament. She’s tied for eighth among goalkeepers with 15 saves and has an 83.3% save percentage.

MID Hayley Raso — With Kerr playing a smaller role, Raso has stepped forward and leads the team with three goals. She’s placed 71.4% of her shots on target thus far — the ninth-best mark at the tournament — and has an impressive rate of +1.6 goals minus expected goals (xG), which demonstrates an ability to cash in difficult chances.

Kerr starting tonight

Sam Kerr is back in the starting lineup tonight for the home team

Australia is HYPED