Mackenzie Arnold & Tony Gustavsson | Pre-Match Press Conference | Australia v England | FIFA Women's World Cup™

Australia takes on England in their semi-final clash tomorrow night at Stadium Australia, looking to advance to the FIFA Women's World Cup Final on Sunday. 

Head Coach Tony Gustavsson and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold were available to the media during a Pre-Match Press Conference following Australia's final training session before the semi-final game.

The semi-final clash will see Australia return to Stadium Australia for the third time this tournament, advancing to the final four after a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over France in Brisbane on Saturday night. Arnold, the Player of the Match and the hero in goals for Australia talked before the upcoming game. 

“They have really grown with us throughout the whole tournament. From the first game, it has grown and grown. Even outside the stadium, seeing the support we’ve had all over the country has been unreal. They have been like the 12th man player for us.”

“The legacy we wanted to leave throughout this World Cup to inspire a generation, we have done more than that,” she said. “We have done more than what we thought we would accomplish."

"We are not done yet but to see the reaction we have received from the whole country. This is only the beginning and there is a lot more to come.”

Tony Gustavsson talked about his side heading into the semi-final clash, “When it comes to the line-up we’ll have a discussion tonight again about minutes,” Gustavsson said. “I think consistency and chemistry are key for any team that wants to be successful in tournaments.

“I have some tough decisions to make tonight – I have a lot of player availability. What we’ll do is look at always trying to start as strong as possible but finish even stronger. Meaning what kind of starting line-up do we want to have, but also what kind of finishing XI do we want to have – what kind of tool, game-changer, do we think we need in a game like this? Type of players – whether it’s speed or aerial presence or closing out a game.

“There’ll be some long conversations tonight and some tough decisions to be made. A lot of players deserve to start, but a lot of players also deserve to finish the game and win it for us.”

FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ - Semi-Finals

Australia v England
Date: Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Kick-Off: 8:00 pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Optus Sport and Channel 7 
How to Watch