Football
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is drawing to an exciting finale.
Sydney hosts the second semi-final between England and Australia with both teams seeking to join Spain in reaching a first Women’s World Cup final.
Both the Lionesses and the Matildas were among the favourites when the action began almost four weeks ago, and they have watched the likes of reigning champions United States and Germany make early exits.
Australia captain Sam Kerr - who scored the last time these two sides met - has played a peripheral role after sustaining a calf injury on the eve of the tournament, but the Chelsea striker is expected to make her first start against England.
In Sarina Wiegman's England camp, Lauren James remains unavailable due to her two-match ban following a red card in the round of 16 clash against Nigeria.
In their five previous meeetings, each team has two wins apiece with one match ending in a draw.
As the two perennial sporting rivals get ready to do battle once more on the football pitch, Olympics.com takes a dive into their head-to-head record.
England 0-2 Australia
April 2023, Friendly
England and Australia came face to face earlier this year at the Brentford Community Stadium for a friendly game in preparation for this summer’s tournament.
The Lionesses headed into the fixture with a 30-game unbeaten record following their triumphant Women’s EURO 2022 campaign. Wiegman was also yet to lose a game as England manager.
Goals from Kerr and Charlotte Grant, however, earned Australia a well-deserved victory and ended England’s impressive record.
A crowd of 17,250 watched the friendly, comparing favourably with the 6,068 who came to watch the teams meet at Fulham’s Craven Cottage five years earlier.
This reverse remains Wiegman's only defeat during her 38-match tenure.
Charlotte Grant celebrates with teammates after Australia's 2-0 friendly win over England in April 2023
England 1-1 Australia
October 2018, Friendly
The two sides came face to face in 2018 in early preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 in France.
Fran Kirby put England in front in the first half, but Clare Polkinghorne secured a draw for the Matildas when she scored in the 84th minute.
England went on to finish fourth at the FIFA Women’s World Cup that following calendar year whereas Australia failed to make it past the Round of 16.
Goalscorers Clare Polkinghorne (L) and Fran Kirby contest the ball in a friendly at Fulham's Craven Cottage in October 2018
England 1-0 Australia
October 2015, Yongchuan tournament
Three years prior, the sides met in the People's Republic of China for the Yongchuan tournament where a mere 1800 fans turned out to watch the fixture.
Izzy Christiansen scored the only goal of the game to secure England a win, and the Lionesses went on to finish second in the tournament behind champions and hosts, China.
Earlier that year, the two sides had competed in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada. England finished in third place, whilst Australia made the quarter-finals.
Australia 0-3 England
March 2015, Cyprus Cup
The two sides met earlier that same year for the annual Cyprus Cup. Globetrotting striker Jodie Taylor opened the scoring in the eighth minute after good work from Jill Scott, and completed her hat-trick seven minutes from time.
England went on to win the tournament with a 1-0 final win over Canada.
England's hat-trick hero Jodie Taylor celebrates scoring against Australia in the Cyprus Cup of March 2015
Australia 2-0 England
June 2011, Friendly
Australia and England first met in a friendly in Wolfsburg days before the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011 in Germany.
Former Perth Glory midfielder Collette McCallum scored both goals in a 2-0 win for the Matildas - converting a penalty before her sweet strike from outside the area doubled the advantage in the 28th minute.
Both sides went on to reach the Women's World Cup quarter-finals - Australia going down 3-1 to Sweden with England falling to France in a penalty shoot-out.