Women's World Cup 2023: Predicting Results for Remainder of Tournament
A first-time winner will be crowned at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on Sunday.
Co-host Australia, England, Spain and Sweden will play semifinal matches on Tuesday and Wednesday to determine which sides will play for their first-ever World Cup title.
England is the only one of the four sides with a major title in the last 20 years from UEFA Euro 2022. Sweden has been a perpetual runner-up and semifinalist at the World Cup, Olympics and Euros. Australia holds an edge because of its home-field advantage. Spain is one of the most in-form sides in the tournament.
There is a little separating all four teams at the moment and that should give us two close semifinal matches in Auckland and Sydney.
The winners of the Spain-Sweden and Australia-England semifinals will square off in Sydney on Sunday, while the losers have to rally to play a third-place game in Brisbane on Saturday.
Spain vs. Sweden
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Sweden is the side most accustomed to the final four of a major tournament.
The Swedes advanced to the final four of nine Euros, four World Cups and three Olympics, but their only title came at the 1984 Euros well before most of their current squad was born.
Sweden faced the toughest path to the semifinals, as it downed the United States in penalties in the round of 16 and handed Japan its first loss of the tournament in the quarterfinals.
Sweden only conceded once over 210 minutes in the knockout round, and its defense will once again be the key to moving on.
Spain recorded multiple goals in each of its four World Cup victories. It was shutout by Japan in its Group C finale.
La Roja cruised past Switzerland in the round of 16 and then grinded out a quarterfinal win in extra time over the Netherlands.
Both teams have the same amount of game time under their legs in the knockout round. The Spanish attack and Swedish defense give their respective sides a clear advantage in those areas of the pitch.
Sweden's biggest advantage is its experience at this part of major competitions. A majority of its squad has played in at least one Euro, Olympic or World Cup semifinal.
Spain is playing in its first World Cup semifinal, and in its first major tournament semifinal since Euro 1997.
With the matchup seeming to be even across the board, Sweden's intangibles of playing and winning in a semifinal game could be the difference that puts it into a final from a close game.
Prediction: Sweden 2, Spain 1
Australia vs. England
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The battle between the World Cup co-host and the reigning European champion is the marquee clash of the semifinals.
Australia beat France in the longest penalty shootout in Women's World Cup history to set up the dream semifinal with England.
England is the best team on paper left in the competition, but it experienced some difficulties to reach the final four.
The Lionesses were taken to penalty kicks by Nigeria to start the knockout round and fell behind against Colombia in the quarterfinals.
England answered both challenges by winning on PKs and scoring within 10 minutes of Colombia's opener, but both of those results prove that the Euro 2022 winner is a bit vulnerable.
Australia's players will be super charged by the crowd in Sydney, and that could propel it to its first World Cup final.
Sam Kerr's presence on the field could elevate the atmosphere on Wednesday. The Chelsea forward came off the bench in the quarterfinals, but if she starts in the semifinal, it could give Australia the advantage it needs to beat England.
Kerr is one of the prolific scorers on the planet. She has 63 international goals in 123 appearances and scored over 10 goals in each of the last three seasons with Chelsea.
Most of the England squad carries knowledge of playing against Kerr in the Women's Super League, so it can try to neutralize her best attacking movements.
England has a star of its own in goal in Mary Earps, and it has a deeper attack, even without the suspended Lauren James, led by Alessia Russo, who scored six of her 13 international goals at the Euros and World Cup.
The match is a true toss-up if Kerr plays, but England has the better overall squad, and if Earps plays at her highest level in goal, Australia will have trouble beating her, even if Kerr is at her best.
Prediction: England 2, Australia 0
Final
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An England-Sweden final carries the most intrigue outside of Australia qualifying for the championship match on home soil.
England is looking to pull off the Euro-World Cup double in a two-year span, and if it qualifies for the final, James will be back on the field.
James was the breakout star of the group stage and round of 16, and having her back from her two-game suspension would provide a huge boost to the attack alongside Russo and others.
Sweden could not handle the English attack in the Euro 2022 semifinal, as the Lionesses bagged four goals on home soil.
The Swedes will not lack motivation to knock off the Lionesses for their first-ever World Cup crown because of that result and their long history of coming up just short.
However, England is arguably the best team in the world right now, and if it is at full strength in the final, it will be hard to pick against.
Sweden would need another master class in net from Zecira Musovic, who made 11 saves against the United States, to pull off the victory in Sydney.
Prediction: England 3, Sweden 1
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