Women’s World Cup: Australia vs. England odds, pick & prediction
One of the great sporting rivalries in the world is about to get a new chapter.
It may not get a lot of hype on this side of the planet, but Australia and England is one of the fiercest rivalries in the world. Whether it’s cricket, rugby, netball or soccer, there’s no love lost whenever these two Commonwealth Nations meet on the field of battle.
So Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal match between the tournament co-hosts, Australia, and their bitter rivals at a sold out Sydney Olympic Stadium should be box office.
Despite the home-field advantage, the bookies have installed Australia as the underdog in this encounter. The Matildas are +120 to advance to Sunday’s World Cup Final and are +220 to win the match in 90 minutes.
Let’s break it down.
Australia vs. England prediction: Analysis
Most of the time, bettors can rely on numbers to guide them to a decision. But every now and then we need to step away from the spreadsheet and pick up a pencil and some paper to do some old-school handicapping. A semifinal match between two historic rivals in one of their backyards is one of those situations.
And for me this handicap comes down to one simple question: Which one of these teams will handle the moment better?
A fortnight ago, I would have suggested England was more likely to cope in this kind of environment. A more experienced side buoyed by a win at the 2022 Euros, the Lionesses were rightly one of the tournament favorites before a ball was kicked. Add in that Australia was uninspiring through their first two matches and it seemed like one of these teams was well ahead of the other in this journey.
But something seemed to click for the Matildas after losing to Nigeria, 3-2, to put themselves on the brink of elimination in the group stage. They would go on to blowout Canada, 4-0, to ensure a spot in the Round of 16, where they’d defeat Denmark in front of 75,784 fans at Stadium Australia.
Those wins got the entire country onboard and things only got more amped after a white-knuckle, penalty-shootout win over France in the quarterfinals.
And as much as the environment has helped Australia, it shouldn’t overtake the fact that the Aussies are playing some terrific soccer. The Matildas have not allowed a goal in their last three matches and they were not taking on also-rans in those contests. Canada and France were considered contenders at the Women’s World Cup, while Denmark was a game opponent in the group stages.
With their defense in great form and the crowd on their side, Australia looks like a live underdog against an England side that’s not looked entirely convincing in this tournament despite a very soft schedule.
Australia vs. England prediction: Pick
Australia to advance +120 (DK)
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