Ella Toone believes Australia will approach Tuesday’s friendly against England with revenge in mind after the Lionesses ended their World Cup dreams in 2023. England defeated the Matildas 3-1 in the semi-final of the tournament in Sydney before narrowly losing to Spain in the final.
Reflecting on that memorable clash, Toone said she expects a fired-up Australian side determined to settle old scores. “We broke their hearts in the World Cup, so it will feel like a revenge game for them,” she said. “We know it will be difficult. There are no friendlies in football. We want to win every game and perform well.”
Head coach Sarina Wiegman shared her excitement about the upcoming encounter at Derby’s Pride Park. “They are a top-level team and will challenge us in the way we want to be challenged,” she noted. “I’m not really looking back at the World Cup semi-final – it was incredible, but both teams have moved on.”
Australia, under new manager Joe Montemurro, are looking to build consistency after a mixed run of results. The Matildas defeated Wales 2-1 on Saturday, with Sam Kerr making her first start since returning from a serious knee injury suffered in January 2024. The team has recorded two wins, a draw, and a loss under Montemurro, with England representing their toughest test yet.
The Matildas will benefit from the familiarity of facing players they regularly meet in the Women’s Super League. Arsenal defender Steph Catley said that insight could prove useful. “You play against them and know their strengths and weaknesses,” she explained. “I don’t think it changes everything, but it helps.”
England, meanwhile, are seeking improvement after a 2-1 defeat to Brazil last weekend – their fourth straight game conceding first. Wiegman dismissed concerns over slow starts, emphasizing that each match has had different circumstances. “We didn’t start well enough on Saturday, and we talked about it. We’ll definitely give everything to start better tomorrow.”
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton is expected to return from an elbow injury after missing the Brazil game, while West Ham defender Anouk Denton has been added to the squad as cover for minor fitness issues within the camp.
England will be eager to produce a strong response and maintain their winning mentality against a motivated Australia side still smarting from their World Cup heartbreak.
