A mouth-watering matchup in Group B will see Canada and Australia battle it out for a place in the last 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
CAN-W vs AUS-W Match Details
Date: Monday, 31 July 2023
Time: 15:30 (IST) / 20:00 (ACT)
Venue: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne
CAN-W vs AUS-W Match Preview
Canada were fearing for the worst when Ireland captain Katie McCabe scored an outrageous Olympico in only the fourth minute of the match. Center-back Vanessa Gilles spurned a great opportunity to equalize on the half-hour mark but the Olympic Gold medalists received a lifeline at the end of the first-half. Julia Grosso’s inviting delivery inside the box was turned into her own net by Megan Connolly encouraging Canada to turn things around in the second half. The winner came through Adriana Leon in the 53rd minute to give the side their first victory in the 2023 Women’s World Cup after the first match with Nigeria ended goalless. The manner of win will motivate them to seal their last-16 place although it will not be easy facing Australia now that Sam Kerr is back available for the co-hosts. However, they need just a point to qualify for the knockouts and will put their faith in the defence that has not conceded from open play in this tournament. A loss will make their life uncomfortable as they will then require a helping hand from Ireland who need to win against Nigeria in the simultaneous kick-off. Having suffered just one defeat in the last matches, Canada will not wish to walk that way.
With Kerr and other key attackers out with injury, Australia found it hard against Nigeria as they lost a 3-2 thriller to them. The Matildas took the lead in a roaring Brisbane Stadium in the first-half stoppage time but were stunned by a Nigerian equalizer by Uchenna Kanu quickly after. That inserted the spirit into the Super Falcons who went on to take the lead in the 65th minute and then going on to double it through Asisat Oshoala after a long ball caused miscommunication between centre-back Alanna Kennedy and goalkeeper Mackenzie-Arnold. Australia threw the kitchen sink at Nigeria after that but Kennedy’s header at the end proved too little too late. The competition co-hosts now face the serious prospect of elimination from the group stages. Like New Zealand earlier in the competition, they could be the first host in the competition history to exit from the group stages. They need to claim all three points in Melbourne in order to advance to the last-16 stage for the fifth consecutive time in the Women’s World Cup. Tony Gustavsson's side would will also need Ireland to win if they manage a draw against Canada but with their star striker, Australia will want to win the match.
CAN-W vs AUS-W Predicted Lineups
CAN-W: Sheridan; Riviere, Buchanan, Gilles, Lawrence; Fleming, Quinn, Grosso; Huitema, Leon, Sinclair
AUS-W: Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley; Gorry, Van Egmond, Cooney-Cross; Raso, Foord; Kerr
CAN-W vs AUS-W Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Sheridan (7.5)
DEF: Catley (8.5), Kennedy (8), Lawrence (8.5)
MID: Van Egmond (9), Schmidt (8.5), Gorry (8), Fleming (8)
FW: Leon (8), Sinclair (9), Leon (8)
Vice-captain: Katrina Gorry
Captain: Van Egmond
