Lionesses hope experience on big occasions will help them reach World Cup final, Keira Walsh says

Aug 14, 2023

England are hoping their semi-final experience can give them an edge in their World Cup showdown against Australia on Wednesday, midfielder Keira Walsh has said.

The European champions have reached the last four at five consecutive tournaments – including twice at the World Cup.

Walsh said: “A lot of us would like to go one step further and reach the final.”

But they have only reached one final, winning the European Championship last year as the Lionesses claimed a first major title at Wembley.

Now it is Australia’s Matildas, on home soil, who are also trying to land their first World Cup, having already progressed further than ever before at the FIFA event.

Walsh said: “The pressure is on Australia. That is a different thing to cope with. But they are a great team, whether they feel the pressure or not.

“The way they play they don’t look like they feel it. They are very physical and we have to be ready for that. It’s just about going in confident and playing on the front foot.”

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Matildas-mania has swept Australia, lifting football to unprecedented highs in a country where Aussie Rules football and rugby usually attract the biggest crowds.

The Lionesses know they would be spoiling a home party after enjoying more than five weeks here already.

Walsh said: “Australia has made us feel really welcome. We’ve all really enjoyed our time here.

“But I think as soon as it comes to the knockout stages, the focus obviously shifts.”

The size of the occasion in front of more than 70,000 fans at a sold-out Stadium Australia is not lost on Sarina Wiegman’s side.

It helps that their manager is accustomed to such occasions herself, having led her native Netherlands to Euros glory at home in 2017 and reached the 2019 World Cup final.

No wonder the England coach “is pretty relaxed and is always very logical,” according to Walsh.

“She has a clear plan and vision of how she wants things to go. Even when we’re under pressure, she never shows it and that can calm you on the pitch.

“She has her family here and creates a family feel. She gives us an extra push on the pitch when we’ve been under pressure.”

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