England vs. Australia live updates: How 2 late goals sent Lionesses to World Cup final

The pre-tournament favorite will play for the World Cup title.

England got goals from Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo in the final 20 minutes, and the European champions spoiled the host nation’s party with a 3-1 win Wednesday morning. Australia’s Sam Kerr scored for the hosts, but missed two late chances.

England will play Spain in Sunday’s final, and it would be the first title for either team. It’s also England’s first trip to the final after making the semis at the last two World Cups. 

Though England was considered a favorite coming in, this has been something of an improbable run. The Lionesses lost three of their best players to injury, and have had to scrap through some games while in Australia.

But with the game − a chance for the title − on the line, the Lionesses found another gear, and showed why they are arguably the best team in the world right now. 

WORLD CUP CENTRAL: 2023 Women's World Cup Live Scores, Schedules, Standings, Bracket and More

— Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist

When is the 2023 World Cup final?

Spain, which beat Sweden 2-1 in the first semifinal, will take on England, 3-1 winners over Australia, in the 2023 World Cup final.

The match will be played in Sydney and kickoff is set for 6 a.m. ET Sunday. The game, like the rest of the World Cup, will be broadcast on FOX and FOXSports.com, with the Spanish broadcast available on Telemundo. 

Remember, there's also a third place game at the World Cup. In that match, Australia will meet Sweden. That game kicks off at 4 a.m. ET Saturday.

What are betting odds for 2023 World Cup final?

All betting lines provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. Access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list and check out Sports Book Wire for all the latest betting news. Last updated Wednesday at 9:40 a.m. ET.

All betting lines provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. Access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list and check out Sports Book Wire for all the latest betting news. Last updated Wednesday at 5:25 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline: Spain +165 (bet $100 to win $165) | England +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Draw +210 (bet $100 to win $210)
• Over/Under: 2.5 (O: -200 | U: +140)

Whether you're a veteran wagerer or a newcomer looking to bet on the 2023 World Cup, there's been an interesting movement in the odds since the previous favorite United States exited the tournament.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See applicable operator site for its terms and conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21 or older to gamble.

England vs. Australia highlights

Alessia Russo scores late, gives England 3-1 lead

A goal from Alessia Russo in the 86th minute — courtesy of a no-look pass from Lauren Hemp — all but sealed the semifinal win for England, giving the Lionesses a 3-1 lead.

Australia missed several chances late before Russo put the game away. As Hemp dribbled through the defense, Russo slowed her run to make sure she stayed onside, then took the pass and put a hard, right-footed shot past a diving Mackenzie Arnold.

England retakes lead, 2-1, off Lauren Hemp goal

Lauren Hemp quickly put the Lionesses back on top with a goal in the 71st minute, with an assist from a defensive breakdown by Australia. Millie Bright had lofted a ball from deep in England territory over Australia's backline and Hemp picked it up easily. Arnold appeared to be caught off guard, and Hemp beat her.

Sam Kerr scores spectacular goal, Australia tied 1-1 with England

A turnover by England's Alessia Russo allowed Australia to take possession and feed the ball to Sam Kerr. Despite being flanked by two defenders, Kerr, one of the top strikers in the world, unleashed a rocket from from about 25 yards out that went just over keeper Mary Earps' fingertips in the 63rd minute, scoring and evening the semifinal 1-1 vs. England.

It's Kerr's first goal in the tournament from the run of play.

England 1, Australia 0: Instant halftime analysis

Australia came out flying, and it feels as if the Matildas missed an opportunity by not scoring in the first 10 minutes.

With seemingly the entire country behind the Matildas, an early goal would have put massive pressure on England. Instead, the European champions were able to settle into the game and had several chances before Ella Toone scored in the 36th minute.

It's the first time Australia has conceded first at this World Cup, and we'll see if it can claw back into this. The boost from the home crowd should help, but they're going to have to find answer for England's back line, which has been both solid and aggressive. 

An interesting note: England has never lost when scoring first at the World Cup, tallying 16 wins and two draws in that time.

— Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist

Ella Toone goal gives England 1-0 lead over Australia

England struck first in the second World Cup semifinal, going up 1-0 on Australia after a goal from Ella Toone in the 36th minute off a throw-in. Australia had plenty of defenders in front of the goal, but England still found a way to thread the ball to Toone, who went top shelf at the far post. 

It is the first time Australia’s opponent has scored first this tournament, and it’s Toone’s 17th goal in just 37 appearances with the Lionesses. 

England's Alex Greenwood gets yellow card vs. Australia

It’s early, but it’s already chippy. 

In just the 10th minute of the England-Australia semifinal match, England’s Alex Greenwood was hit with a yellow card for a rough tackle on Australia’s Sam Kerr. Aly Wagner, FOX Soccer’s color analyst, said Greenwood was “sending a message” to Kerr and the Matildas. 

Keep in mind, yellows in this game don't have the same potential penalty as they do in others. Unlike through the rest of the tournament, when yellow cards carried forward and a player could be suspended for the following game after picking up two, yellow cards are wiped before the final. So even if Greenwood got a second, and England won, she would not miss Sunday's final.

Women's World Cup 2027

Where is the next women's World Cup, scheduled for 2027? Great question!

The host for the 2027 World Cup has yet to be determined or announced. But the United States, which is seeing an explosion in women’s sports popularity and where the NWSL is rapidly expanding, is sure to be in the mix as a host. 

Australia, England starting lineups today

The big news is that Australia captain and star striker Sam Kerr is in the starting lineup. Kerr began the tournament on the bench with a calf injury and returned in the round of 16. She then played 60 minutes in the team's quarterfinal victory against France, which went to penalties and caused Kerr to play longer than expected.

Here is Australia's starting IX:

And here is England's starting IX, which is unchanged from its quarterfinal team that beat Colombia to advance:

What time is England vs. Australia World Cup match?

Kickoff for the semifinal is scheduled for 6 a.m. ET. That's 8 p.m. in Sydney, Australia, where the match will be held.

How to watch England vs. Australia: TV channel, streaming

All 2023 World Cup games are broadcast in the U.S. by Fox, on both its main channel and FS1. The match is also available to stream on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app. Spanish-language coverage will be on Telemundo. 

You can stream the match with any service that provides live TV, including DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, Peacock (in Spanish) and Fubo.

England vs. Australia predictions

Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist: I’ve been wrong on pretty much all of mine, so take this for what it’s worth. England should win, but Australia has been building into this tournament. Having Sam Kerr healthy enough to start is big, and you cannot discount the motivation the Matildas will get from knowing they’ve captivated the whole country. So Australia, 2-1.

Lindsay Schnell, USA TODAY Sports reporter: You can't pick against the home country, right? It's time to see Sam Kerr at her best. She'll score the only goal of the game — her first in the 2023 World Cup —  leading her team to a thrilling (and anxiety-inducing) 1-0 victory over England.

Alicia DelGallo, USA TODAY Sports senior editor: Sam Kerr scores quickly in her first start, launching momentum for the Matildas that England can't break. Australia goes on to its first-ever World Cup final and the entire country goes wild.

England vs. Australia betting odds

All betting lines provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. Access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list and check out Sports Book Wire for all the latest betting news. Last updated Wednesday at 5:25 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline: Australia +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | England +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Draw +200 (bet $100 to win $200)
• Over/Under: 1.5 (O: -200 | U: +140)

Whether you're a veteran wagerer or a newcomer looking to bet on the 2023 World Cup, there's been an interesting movement in the odds since the previous favorite United States exited the tournament.

BetMGM now has Spain as the top choice at odds of -125 with England second at +200. Australia has the third-best odds at +375.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See applicable operator site for its terms and conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21 or older to gamble.

Why is Australia called The Matildas? 

Believe it or not, it’s because of fans. 

In 1994, after qualifying for its first-ever World Cup, the women’s team needed a nickname. So the federation, working with Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service, held a vote and the Matildas, a nod to the famous Australian song “Waltzing Matilda,” won. 

Because it’s fun to think about the road not taken, the other options were: The Soccertoos, The Blue Flyers, The Waratahs and The Lorikeets. 

Sam Kerr gives jersey, joy to young Matildas fans at World Cup

One of the most endearing parts of the 2023 World Cup: Watching the host country go crazy for one of its own. 

Sam Kerr, who currently stars for Chelsey FC and was the 2017 NWSL MVP when playing for Jersey Sky Blue (now known as NJ/NY Gotham), is an Australian native who’s absolutely adored in her home country. Kerr has been battling injuries this tournament, and will make her first start vs. England. Every time she’s subbed in, the crowd has gone gaga. And when she gave her jersey to a young fan after Australia’s quarterfinal win, she won even more hearts across the country. 

Also of note: Kerr is dating USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis, and the photos of the couple have gone viral during this World Cup.

Who is Mackenzie Arnold? Australia’s goalkeeper ‘hero’ of World Cup

The hero so far of Australia’s 2023 World Cup, Mackenzie Arnold is The Matildas' 29-year-old starting goalie. After her three saves in the penalty shootout against France, some have started referring to her as Australia's new "Minister for Defense.”

There’s even a road in Melbourne that's been renamed for her, Arnold Court, with a sign on it that says, “This street is hereby dedicated to Mackenzie Arnold for her services to the country.”

USWNT connections to England vs. Australia

Even though the U.S. women were sent home long ago, they can claim some connection to this England-Australia semifinal.

Both coaches, Australia’s Tony Gustavsson and England’s Sarina Wiegman, have ties to the United States. Wiegman played alongside Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly for a season at North Carolina, helping the Tar Heels win the NCAA title in 1989. Gustavsson was an assistant to Jill Ellis when the USWNT won both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

With the USWNT expected to move on from Vlatko Andonovski, both Gustavsson and Wiegman are likely to be on U.S. Soccer’s wish list.

— Nancy Armour, USA TODAY Sports columnist

World Cup standings and schedule

The 2023 World Cup is close to finishing, with the final set for Saturday at 6 a.m. ET. Spain is headed to the championship after beating Sweden 2-1 in a thrilling semifinal that had tons of action the last 10 minutes. You can catch up on all the World Cup standings and schedule at our main World Cup hub.