The Matildas will face England in a blockbuster FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-final after the European champions overcame Colombia on Saturday night.
In a match that had a lot to live up to after Australia’s thrilling penalty shootout victory over France, a second-half winner from Alessia Russo ensured England only needed 90 minutes to secure their passage.
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It sets the scene for a blockbuster semi-final against the Matildas in Sydney on Wednesday night, kicking off at 8pm AEST live and free on Seven and 7plus.
The Matildas will enter the game with the knowledge that they can match it with Europe’s best after beating England 2-0 in an April friendly encounter in London.
But England in tournament mode are a far more threatening prospect, particularly after avoiding extra time against Colombia as they became the first team of the knockout rounds to come from behind and win.
England had to dig deep with goals from Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo helping cancel out Leicy Santos’s opener.
But while it looked like Colombia would take the lead heading into half-time, a goalkeeper error allowed Lauren Hemp to pounce in the sixth minute of injury time.
Russo then finished off a well-worked team effort in the 63rd minute to seal victory.
They could, and perhaps should have, done better against a Colombian outfit that will head home with their reputation significantly enhanced.
This was only Colombia’s third World Cup and they dispatched two-time champions Germany en route to their best-ever showing at the tournament.
They were under the pump from England early and goalkeeper Catalina Perez was called into action inside the opening five minutes.
She denied Hemp from close range and then as she scrambled to block Rachel Daly’s rebound she clattered into defender Carolina Arias, who fell to the ground.
Arias’ head was the only thing that denied England a goal and the defender was unable to continue.
Ana Guzman took her place and delighted in roughing up Hemp and Daly, the latter flashing a header straight at Perez as Colombia began to grow into the game.
Teenage sensation Linda Caicedo was beginning to put England’s defence out of kilter with some scheming runs and it wasn’t long before Santos put them ahead.
Santos bore down the right edge of the England box and dispatched a pinpoint lob over the head of a backpedalling Mary Earps to give her side the lead in the 44th minute.
It was the first goal England had conceded from open play at this tournament but they quickly squared the ledger.
On a greasy surface, Perez fumbled a ball into the box and sparked a goalmouth scramble with Hemp on hand to level the scores in the seventh minute of first-half added time.
Russo doubled their tally soon after the hour mark when a sublime ball by Georgia Stanway split the Colombian defence and she was able to bury it past Perez in the 63rd minute.
Earps was forced to tip a late Lorena Durrango thunderbolt from distance over the bar as Colombia searched for an equaliser but England were able to hold on and set up their semi-final clash with Australia.
– with AAP
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