Women’s Soccer World Cup
Australia celebrates Matildas: “Absolutely stunning ladies”
Australia’s footballers are in the World Cup semi-finals. photo
© Tertius Pickard/AP/dpa
Australia is increasingly making the World Cup its own party. Sam Kerr and Co. are in the quarterfinals for the first time, the next opponent promises an exciting game.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hugged superstar Sam Kerr and other footballers on the field.
“I’m so proud and that’s whole Australia. Their legacy will live on for years to come,” said the Labor politician at Brisbane Stadium of the co-hosts’ players.
20 penalty takers
After a nerve-wracking record penalty shoot-out with a total of 20 players on Saturday against France (7: 6), the team around Chelsea professional Kerr is now challenging England as European champions in Sydney on Wednesday (12:00 p.m. CEST/ARD). At the press conference after the quarter-finals, a reporter even broke down in tears when she asked Tony Gustafsson if he knew his team had made a whole country happy. “You’re making me cry now too,” said Australia’s coach and had to collect himself for a moment.
The 49-year-old Swede was “so incredibly proud” of his team. “The courage, the courage that everyone has shown is unbelievable.” He said to his players beforehand: “This isn’t about the medal, it’s about the heart that beats.”
endorsement and applause
In any case, the Matildas are taking more and more people with them. Comedian Rebel Wilson celebrated with thousands at Fan Fest in Sydney. She had specially interrupted a shoot in the USA. “What an amazing win!!!” she wrote. “Absolutely stunning ladies!!” Actress Nicole Kidman posted a photo of Matildas cheering. Tim Cahill, Australia’s men’s soccer legend, sported a heart in green and one in yellow and is also “so proud”. “Keep going forward and inspiring the nation,” said the Aussies’ record goalscorer.
Prime Minister Albanese will even push for a one-time public holiday – if the Australians make it to the final on August 20 in Sydney and win. The 60-year-old politician is encountering resistance from industry and from former national goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri. “Albanese keeps talking about this damn holiday. How about you properly fund our sport?” Barbieri wrote on the online platform X, previously known as Twitter.
Kerr as a jocker
This time Sam Kerr came as a joker after 55 minutes to great jubilation. The tournament, which started so unhappily for her, has now turned into a dream trip for the 29-year-old. “She turned the game around,” Gustafsson later praised. The striker missed the preliminary round with a calf injury.
The English women were also able to celebrate after reaching the semi-finals. A year after the European Championship triumph in Wembley against Germany, the team of Sarina Wiegman, the only remaining coach in the tournament, is still hoping for their first World Cup title. In the 2-1 (1-1) win in Sydney, however, the Lionesses had a hard time struggling with Colombia, whose 2-1 win in the preliminary round meant that the DFB women were eliminated early from the World Cup.
England in the semifinals
“Of course I’m very, very happy that we can be here for another week. And I’m really proud of the team. The players did a great job,” said a tired Wiegman.
The “Sunday Express” wrote about the “Goalden Girls” at home. The “Guardian” referred to the hard fight against Colombia. “It was a nasty, brutal thing: 114 minutes of sport as war, a test not only of ability but of will, not only of ingenuity but also of the ability to suffer,” the newspaper said. “That’s not how champions play. But that’s how champions win. Where Germany, France, Japan and the USA failed, England persevered.”