England set for World Cup Semi-Final with Lionesses

The Lionesses have the opportunity to book their place in the Women’s World Cup Final on Wednesday.

Should England beat tournament co-hosts Australia in the Semi-Final, which kicks off at 11am (UK) on Wednesday, they will face Spain in the Final, after they beat Sweden 2-1 on Tuesday.

England lost the Semi-Final in Canada in 2015 and France in 2019, so are looking to reach the Final for the first time.

"I think the atmosphere is going to be amazing,” Bethany England said. “We’ve been in this situation where we’ve had a lot of noise. The Euros last year at Old Trafford, Wembley. It’s nothing these girls aren’t used to now. We are getting it more and more in the women’s game, selling out, getting big crowds and not being able to think. So it’s just going to be an exciting game and a special one.”

Sarina Wiegman’s side beat Haiti 1-0 in the opening game of the group stage, before beating Denmark 1-0 and China 6-1, Bethany getting 33 minutes off the bench in those fixtures.

The Round of 16 saw the Lionesses beat Nigeria 4-2 on penalties, in no small part thanks to Bethany’s clinical spot-kick that gave her nation the lead in the shootout, having come on at half-time in extra-time.

Bethany came on in the third minute of added time on Saturday as England came from behind to beat Colombia 2-1 in the Quarter-Final.

As for Australia, despite the absence of Sam Kerr early in the competition, they progressed from the group stage with wins against Republic of Ireland and Canada, but were defeated by Nigeria.

Into the Round of 16, Australia beat Denmark 2-0 before taking France all the way to penalties in the Quarter-Final. Australia won the shootout 7-6 - it was the longest penalty shootout in Women’s World Cup history.