KATHRYN BATTE: England are in ENEMY TURF in Australia. Sarina Wiegman’s side must silence the hostile crowd to reach first World Cup final
Over the past year, England have become masters of sound blocking.
For the last two tournaments, the European Championship and this World Cup, boss Sarina Wiegman has placed a bubble around her players. Nothing negative enters their camp and nothing goes out.
But when the Lionesses line up for the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, there will be 75,000 Australians hoping that bubble will burst. The England players will not be able to shut out the deafening sound that will come from the stands. There’s no escaping it, they’re on enemy territory.
Wednesday’s game is unfamiliar territory for both teams. Australia have never played in a World Cup semi-final, while England have never played against such a hostile crowd.
The Lionesses got a taste of what to expect in their quarterfinal tie with Colombia. The South Americans passionately played their national anthem and booed every time the England players touched the ball. But against Australia it will be on a different level.
Sarina Wiegman’s team is preparing for the semi-final of the World Cup against Australia
It promises to be a huge game, with Australia earning passage to the semi-finals by beating France 7-6 on penalties in what was a dramatic game of football.
Alessia Russo (pictured) scored in the 63rd minute of England’s quarter-final against Colombia to help the Lionesses on their way with a 2-1 win on Saturday
Players from both teams have gone to great lengths to emphasize that there is little rivalry between the two nations in a footballing sense and they may be right.
There have been no major fights in previous tournaments. The closest we’ve come was when Australia beat Team GB in the quarter-finals of women’s football at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The rivalry may not be on the pitch, but it is in the stands.
Australian newspapers prepare for the match with the back page of the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday reading ‘Now for the Poms’
Several Aussie fans managed to buy tickets intended for England supporters and boasted on social media that they would be wearing their Matildas shirts in the Lionesses area of the stadium.
Aussie fans sing to English supporters in the street: ‘You are going home on Thursday.’ The front and back pages of Australian newspapers call for the Matildas to take down the Poms.
Wiegman and her players were warmly welcomed when they first arrived on Australian soil. Locals wished them luck, ‘Until you play Australia’ – and in their first two matches there seemed to be substantial support from the neutrals.
But things changed when the Lionesses’ side of the draw opened up after Germany were knocked out in the group stage. The chances of an Australia-England semi-final were increasingly likely.
When the Lionesses played Nigeria in the Round of 16, there were fans in green and white face paint wearing Matildas shirts.
When England reversed a penalty in the first half through VAR, much of the stadium celebrated as if Nigeria had scored. It was the same against Colombia, although much of the audience was South American.
Sarina Wiegman (right) and her players have had a warm welcome to Australia so far, but they will have to beat the hosts in front of what promises to be a boisterous home crowd
Lionesses prepare for the game at Central Coast Stadium in New South Wales
If they beat Australia, it would be the first time the Lionesses have qualified for a World Cup final
But Sam Kerr’s team (second from left) will be a very tough opponent on Wednesday
The England players said after their quarter-final victory that they enjoyed the intensity of playing in a hostile atmosphere.
Lauren Hemp said she had done well in that environment, stating, “Bring it on,” when asked if she faced an even more hostile audience.
A year ago, the Lionesses were in the same position as Australia in that they had packed stadiums cheering for them for every match at Euro 2022.
The players know how crucial a home crowd can be when it comes to winning a tournament. It’s the one thing Australia has that England doesn’t have, Matildas boss Tony Gustavsson described home advantage on Tuesday. It’s up to England to silence the mob.
“It’s the semi-final of a World Cup, you want that environment, you want it to be tense, you want it to be noisy,” captain Millie Bright said on Tuesday.
“It’s a proud moment in the women’s game when people turn on the TV at home and see what an incredible atmosphere we’ve created.
Australian fans cheer on the Matildas at fan parks across the country, with Melbourne’s Federation Square turning into a fan zone for their match against France
However, Australia have never played in a World Cup semi-final and England hope to use their experience of winning Euro 2022 to triumph on Wednesday.
“Thanks to Australia for selling out the stadium and creating that atmosphere, because as we always know, the women’s game is still on its way – but what a place to be.” The back page of the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday resembled mind games by describing captain Sam Kerr as the ‘kryptonite’ of England goalkeeper Mary Earps.
“Nothing gets past the best goalkeeper in the world except Sam Kerr,” the caption read, referring to the nine goals Chelsea striker Kerr has scored against Manchester United’s Earps representing her club and country.
Bright said England would “leave the mind games to other people.” As a team, the lionesses have shut out the noise around them for so long.
Wednesday’s game will test that ability to the limit. They are already public enemy number 1. To reach a first-ever World Cup final, England must spoil the Aussies’ party in their own backyard.