With the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand almost here, it is time to take a closer look at some of the main contenders.
[ MORE: 2023 Women’s World Cup schedule, how to watch live ]
Here we’ll deal with one of the co-hosts, the Matildas of Australia. Coached by a former USWNT assistant and led by a two-time NWSL MVP, Australia will have the highest of hopes on home soil this summer.
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The Matildas are a regular top-10 team in the world for much of the last decade and represent a massive hope for their nation. No pressure.
Tactics and formation
Don’t be surprised if you see a 4-4-2 with tweaks and wrinkles, as that’s more or less what Tony Gustavsson used in a surprise defeat of England at the Gtech Community Stadium, home of Brentford, this Spring. The side is capable and willing to high-press and only needs an inch of space to deliver a goal thanks to, amongst others, Sam Kerr up top. Adaptable and aggressive, the Matildas plan to be on the front foot as often as possible.
The coach
Tony Gustavsson twice assisted the United States women’s national team (2012, 2014-2019) and the Swede has a terrific reputation in the game. He’ll want his Australia to be aggressive but will know when to pick his spots as Canada makes for a tricky group foe. When it comes to Gustavsson, there are few better references than USWNT coaching legend Jill Ellis. Here are her words on her former protege.
“He used to say me: ‘Forward if we can, back if we need,’” Ellis recalls. “Neither one of us will want to batten down the hatches and play in our own half. [But] there are moments when you have to do that. And that was one of the things that, Tony and I, he helped me learn you have to manage moments of the game.”
Star player(s)
We’re cheating both you and our web site if we start and end with anyone other than Sam Kerr. The Chelsea star is treating Europe the same way she treated the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States: With massive disrespect for goalkeepers. There might not be a more feared player in the world right now, and that’s saying something. The only issue: she missed their opener win against the Republic of Ireland and will miss the second group game due to a calf injury. Not ideal for the co-hosts.
North London rivals Caitlin Foord (Arsenal) and Kyah Simon (Tottenham) are among nine centurions in the squad, and Emily van Egmond and Tameka Yallop patrol the midfield. Brighton’s Lydia Williams will be counted on between the sticks.
A defender's worst nightmare 👻@samkerr1's goal sees us take a 1-0 lead heading into the break!
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) April 11, 2023
🎥: @10FootballAU #WeAreMatildas #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/EykL5SUXHx
Expectations for the 2023 World Cup
Well, it would be an eye-popping story for most of the sports world, but it wouldn’t be the wildest thing on earth if Australia won the whole thing at home, would it? Hosts have not fared well in Women’s World Cups aside from the USWNT in 1999 and 2003, and Australia’s beaten England and Sweden over the past two years. Yet it’s also lost twice to Canada, who is in its group, while falling to Scotland. That said, beating its best ever performance — a Round of 16 in 2019 — would qualify as a very good tournament for a terrific generation.