August 12, (THEWILL) – England fought back from a goal down to beat Colombia 2-1 on Saturday, in a physical encounter to advance to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup.
The European champions conceded first when Leicy Santos looped a shot over the English goalkeeper just before half-time. But Lauren Hemp equalised for England in first-half stoppage time after pouncing on a goalkeeping error. Arsenal’s Alessia Russo then scored the winner in the 63rd minute to seal the quarterfinal victory. It means the Lionesses will face co-host Australia, who earlier beat France on penalties.
The match was played in front of 75,000 fans in Sydney, with Colombia supporters outnumbering those of England. The South Americans brought passion but England’s quality prevailed in the end. Both teams battled intensely throughout. Colombia’s physicality led to some hard tackles, while England dished out some retaliation. American referee, Ekaterina Koroleva, struggled to maintain control at times.
The win sets up a semifinal clash between England and Australia, who are hosting the tournament. It will be the Matildas’ first-ever appearance in the semis of the women’s competition, while England are chasing their first World Cup title to add to their European crown.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
