Emily van Egmond & Tony Gustavsson | Pre-Match Press Conference | Australia v Canada | FIFA Women's World Cup™

Australia plays their final group stage game against Canada on Monday, 31 July (8:00 pm AEST), with both teams fighting for a place in the knockout stages.

Head Coach Tony Gustavsson and midfielder Emily van Egmond were available to the media during a Pre-Match Press Conference following Australia's arrival in Melbourne.

Australia's do-or-die game against the Olympic Champions would see them progress out of the group with a victory over Canada.

“Of course, you want to get out of the group for a home World Cup. And I’m the first to admit that, I’ll take ownership of that. But that’s not our mindset at the moment."

“Right now, our mindset is just about playing the game in front of us. The only thing we focus on right now is what we can control, and that’s Canada tomorrow," he said. 

“I definitely think it’s fair to say it’s a failure if we don’t get out of the group. Everyone here understands that,” Gustavsson said.

The gravitas of the game was talked about, with Emily van Egmond recalling the team's performance at the 2019 edition of the tournament.

“It’s a home World Cup for us, we know exactly what’s at stake. It’s a massive game for us,” she said.

“We definitely don’t shy away from these moments. Back in 2019, in Montpellier, we played against Brazil – we were in a similar situation and we came out on top. I’ve got the full belief of not only the 23 players but the entire staff that has been on this journey with us.”

FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ - Group B Matchday 3
Canada v Australia
Date: 31 July 2023
Venue: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Kick-off Time: 8:00 pm (AEST)
Watch: Live on Channel 7 and the 7Plus app