The Lionesses have learned the hard way what it takes to win a tournament – defeat in this semi-final has given Australia a crash course
face mask was weeping. No tears were actually visible. The cardboard surface itself remained impassive and structurally sound. But you could tell what was really going on from the way the chin quivered and wobbled, from the comforting mother’s arm draped around hunched shoulders. For Australia, the co-hosts and the stirring soul of this tournament, the party is over.
And ultimately this was the difference between the two sides. Australia: proud and passionate, fuelled by an extraordinary wave of national fervour and the world’s greatest striker in Kerr, but fatally lacking in composure at the key moments. England: calm and dispassionate, clinical on the counterattack, relishing their role as spoilers and assassins. Of course you want a capacity crowd and the hand of history on your side. But on balance, you would probably rather have a functioning defence.
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