In an empty Sydney stadium, England are about to go head-to-head with the passionate hosts, the Kangaroos, in a sparkling battle.
The England team had a rough time getting into the knockout stage. First, they had a close battle with Nigeria until the penalty shootout, and then they narrowly beat Colombia by one goal in the last eight. However, I was impressed by the team's resilience and determination to win. They stepped onto the pitch with the belief that they would return with a victory.
I was delighted with Lauren Hamp's goal in the crucial game against Colombia. I've played alongside her, both for the England national team and Manchester City, and she's been an effective hitter on the left side, creating both threats and scoring chances. This time she'll be up against the in-form Aussie right-hander Ellie Cabinda, which will be crucial in the team's bid to qualify for the finals.
On the other side of the road, right wingback Bonlance is England's go-to player on the attacking end. Though she will need to play a key role in defense, as the Kangaroos have a good mix of Stakhani and Katrinft on the left side, which could pose a big challenge for England.
As for key player Senkal, will she play in this game? My gut feeling tells her that the likelihood is high. That means England's stalwart Miri Baileys will have to be at the top of her game against her Chelsea teammates, because while Senkal may not be in the best of form, she's still one of the top strikers in football today. And with Hayley Russo and Maricona in top form, the Kangaroos pose a huge threat to the Three Lions on the attacking end.
In addition, the battle in the midfield will be the key to this quarterfinal. If England's central midfielders Kira Walsh and Zoella Steinway can control the tempo of the game, they will be able to pass the ball to the wings, allowing Bonlance and left wingback Rachel Daley to press forward and create chances for Alexia Russo in the middle of the pitch.
