Australia will undoubtedly be hoping for a home win in their Women's World Cup opener, but I think they'll face a lot of resistance.
Australia's star player is Chelsea's Sengkar. One of the best goal scorers in the world, she is a versatile player who is a great top scorer, very agile and has the ability to score with both her right and left feet, as well as being able to get behind the defenders and keep them on their toes. I expect her to mesmerize the home fans.
Apart from Senkal, Arsenal's Katrina Forte can also provide a goal threat, while Manchester City's talented Maricona is undoubtedly one of the rising stars of this year's tournament, so keep an eye out for her.
The Kangaroo Soldiers' left and right players, Cabinda and Kadziri, are also strong in both offense and defense, so I see them as a well-balanced team with the potential to make it to the later stages of the tournament.
However, I believe Ireland will pose a lot of problems for Australia as they also have some players in their squad who are playing in the top flight in England and are guaranteed to have a fighting chance.
Captain McCabe has been doing well for Arsenal this season, scoring a lot of goals and handing out a lot of assists, and she can also play in many different positions. I think if she plays well, Ireland will do well too.
