Sure of their strength, as methodical as during their title of European champions last summer at Wembley, the players of the brilliant Sarina Wiegman knew how to tame the context and get up after a fantastic goal from Sam Kerr on time of play (3-1), to join the first world final in their history, after two failures in the half (2015 and 2019).
Already double European champion – in 2017 at the head of her country, the Netherlands, and last summer – Wiegman, also vice-world champion with the Dutch four years ago in Lyon, will try to win her first world crown against Spain on Sunday in Sydney.
Physically above, the English ensured a heavy fire on the goal of Mackenzie Arnold, and as in the final of the Euro last summer, the spark came from the feet of Ella Toone. The Manchester United striker opened the scoring with a dry shot into the opposite corner from the left side of the area, on a back pass from his former Manchester partner Alessia Russo (36th).
Aggressive, disciplined, the partners of Millie Bright maintained their grip at the start of the second half, even when Stadium Australia swung into jubilation on a cannon shot from Sam Kerr (63rd).
In the din and hostility, many teams would have sunk but not England. The Lionesses drowned out the Aussie reaction brilliantly. Untenable, Lauren Hemp waltzed Ellie Carpenter to put her team in front (71st), before completing her masterpiece with a perfect serve for Alessia Russo’s break (86th).
Dulled by its intense overtime against Les Bleues four days earlier, Australia finished K.-O. standing, overwhelmed by much stronger than her.
The fact: Kerr, at the end of the madness
Holder for the first time of the tournament, after digesting a calf injury, the idol of Australia, Sam Kerr, could not save the nation, but she gave him a moment of anthology despite everything.
Very prominent during the first ten minutes but moved like all his partners, the Chelsea star was discreet then before leaving his box on a stroke of genius. Part of his camp, Kerr accelerated straight to the goal by taking advantage of the recoil-brake of Millie Bright before firing a sumptuous shot from 24 meters (63rd).
The strike, calculated at 95 km / h, beat Mary Earps to tip the Olympic park into total madness, like Cathy Freeman’s 400m at the 2000 Olympics.
Several times close to the double in the euphoria, Kerr notably missed a huge 2-2 ball in the 85th minute, before taking his head in his hands. The idol was too lonely to avoid elimination, but his place in Matildas legend is at the top more than ever.
