In an eventful day of Women’s World Cup semi-finals, Arsenal are now guaranteed either two or five World Cup finalists.
In the early kickoff, Steph Catley again captained Australia with Caitlin Foord starting on the left wing. Both played the full 120 minutes in a 0-0 draw with France.
The match went to penalties, Caitlin Foord converted hers, Steph Catley missed hers but it was academic as the Matildas won 8-7 on penalties to go through to the semi finals.
https://x.com/nancebaker/status/1690298019114287104?s=46&t=V3JUo5LS_xIKqbE-uiA9dA
In the second semi final between England and Colombia, Alessia Russo again led the line with Lotte Wubben-Moy on the bench. England went behind but Lauren Hemp equalised before Russo’s second half winner carried England into the semis.
https://x.com/arsenalwfc/status/1690335123000954880?s=46&t=V3JUo5LS_xIKqbE-uiA9dA
That means Foord and Catley’s Australia play Russo and Wubben-Moy’s England in the semi final on Wednesday. While Tuesday’s semi final sees Blackstenius, Ilestedt and Hurtig of Sweden take on Spain.
This also means that a minimum of seven of the 15 Arsenal players who went to Australia and New Zealand are going the distance since there is also a third place playoff. It likely means Arsenal will have little choice but to field several players who will have little to no holiday before Arsenal’s UWCL qualifier against Linkoping on 6 September.
This is because UEFA and FIFA did not collaborate on dates for the calendar and the decision was taken to start the World Cup far later than usual on 20 July.
COYGEG
I wonder if Beth Mead is fit for the first game of the new season 🙂
I think she’s fit right now! Just not match fit.
Good games today, both so tight. I missed the first bit of the Aus-Fra penalty shootout, really surprised Steph missed. Caitlin Foord is a machine. A robot or something because that woman just does not tire. I now really want us to approach Lyon for Vicki Bècho’s signature. I’ve had my eye on her since the tournament started. 19 years old. Just too good. You don’t often see Steph Catley having her hands full with a winger like that. England just ground it out. All the other big teams have come unstuck when they meet their kryptonite team. Either we… Read more »
I got confused with so many semifinals mentioned in the artclebut I guess england and australia were semi-semifinals 🙃
aka Quarter-finals! 🙂
I have been watching football for a long time now, I was a season ticket holder at Highbury when Pat Rice first choice right back rather than a retired assistant coach, but can someone explain what the point of Stanway, Walsh and Toone is? Everyone in the media raves about then and how they are missed if not in the team but from where I am sitting they do nothing! There seems two plans that England have; either get Bronze, Greenwood or Daly to run the touchline and cross it or get Bright to play it from one penalty area… Read more »