Summary
Thank you for joining me tonight, and throughout this World Cup, it’s been a blast. I’ve contributed to plenty of tournaments across a range of sports, and this one has been particularly special.
Be sure to return here tomorrow night at 8pm local time (11am BST) for the World Cup final between England and Spain from Sydney. Hopefully they deliver a fitting finale to this magnificent month.
Cheerio.
There are still thousands of fans inside Lang Park in Brisbane to salute the Matildas. Australia’s players are in tears during their lap of honour but the crowd is giving them a moment to remember.
Here’s Jo Khan’s first take on tonight’s action from Brisbane Stadium.
It was meant to end on a high. One final box to tick to cap off the Matildas’ record-breaking World Cup campaign on home soil. But from the first whistle of their third-place playoff game against Sweden it looked unlikely to happen. A first-half penalty and a second-half cracker from Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani decisively put Australia in fourth place at this tournament. By no means a failure, but not what they wanted.
There will be plenty of time to put tonight’s match and Australia’s World Cup in context. Don’t miss a word of it by signing up to the Moving the Goalposts newsletter.
Sweden’s players make their way onto a hastily erected dais and accept their bronze medals from Gianni Infantino.
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“The Matildas, for understandable reasons, don’t seem to have been able to fire themselves up for the third place playoff. I can’t help but think they’ll be serious contenders at next year’s Olympics, especially with a near miss at glory to spur them on.” They have to qualify first, Kári Tulinius. They won’t guarantee their place in Paris until the end of February next year.
“No complaints about that result,” emails Chris Paraskevas. “Fourth place is what we deserve (and perhaps a little lucky to get that). Deflating, frustrating but Sweden are a good side, and as a football national we’ve furthered our “education”... sometimes you need to take your medicine.”
Not for the first time Chris, I agree with you. The obvious caveat being Australia won’t be hosting a World Cup again any time soon. This was a rare moment with everything to the Matildas’ advantage. As incredible as the month has been, it will be viewed as an opportunity missed on the field.
Tony Gustavsson brings his squad together for his customary postmatch huddle. He will doubtless be sending positive messages but he will be left to reflect on three matches in a row in which his side has been second-best in the knockout stages of a World Cup. Extended, over seven World Cup matches the Matildas only showed their best twice – against Canada and Denmark.
Australia, by contrast, look forlorn and exhausted. They were never at the races tonight, taking an age to get into the game and then offering very little in the second half. A very disappointing end to a magical month.
Sweden were much the better of the two sides on the night. Rubensson dominated the scrap in midfield, the attacking trio of Asllani, Kaneryd, and Rolfö were a persistent threat, and Blackstenius was imperious leading the line. They are celebrating their fourth World Cup bronze medal with broad satisfied smiles.
Full-time: Sweden 2-0 Australia
Sweden end the 2023 World Cup with the bronze medal, running out comfortable 2-0 winners over Australia in Brisbane.
The Matildas have given this tournament plenty, but they looked out of energy and ideas tonight.
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90+5 mins: Cooney-Cross hammers the free-kick as far as she can, straight to Musovic. Australia have wasted so many of those moments tonight.
90+4 mins: Chidiac is again fouled, this time by Hurtig, and the Sweden veteran is booked for kicking the ball away.
90+3 mins: This second-half has not been a classic and it is ebbing away in forgettable fashion.
90+2 mins: Australia spend a couple of minutes huffing and puffing but there’s no composure despite the crowd screaming them on. Fowler dinks over a nice cross then Cooney-Cross scuffs an effort from range before, finally, Van Egmond drags a shot wide.
90+1 mins:
Closing out the tournament with another capacity crowd 👏#Matildas #FIFAWWC #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/Gv9vTOVH7X
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 19, 2023
90 mins: Six minutes of added time to play.
89 mins: Sembrant gets a cap for Sweden with Kaneryd jogging off after a very decent night’s work. She can watch from the bench as Catley slings a long free-kick straight into Musovic’s waiting arms.
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88 mins: Right on cue, Rubensson is booked for leaving a foot in on Chidiac.
87 mins: A stat pops up on TV telling me Rubensson has forced 15 turnovers tonight. That is where the match has been won, with Sweden dominating midfield and denying Australia the time to play the ball forward. Compared to other matches, Fowler, Foord, and Raso have been passengers.
86 mins: Some rare neat skill in midfield by Fowler allows her to drill a ball through the lines to Foord, but she’s soon muscled off the ball by Sweden, who are now demonstrably hungrier and stronger than Australia.
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85 mins: Playing out from the back again, Nevin passes the ball straight into touch. Australia’s World Cup campaign is ending limply.
84 mins: Sweden look more likely to add a third than Australia a consolation. Kaneryd continues to run with the ball at her feet at the heart of the Matildas defence and is a ricochet away from a clear shooting opportunity.
82 mins: However, three throw-ins and free-kick later and Nevin can belt a long ball towards Sweden’s box. Vine and Hunt pick up the pieces but the latter’s floated ball in is easily dealt with by Musovic.
81 mins: Australia are pinned in their defensive left corner and look bereft of ideas.
79 mins: Australia have lacked craft this half, failing to move the ball through midfield with any fluidity. As we hit desperation time the long balls come out, but Sweden are not the side you want to try that tactic against.
78 mins: Now she’s back into the fray, although not moving completely freely. Chelsea fans can breathe a sigh of relief, for now.
77 mins: Kerr is back on her feet and walking gingerly to the sideline.
76 mins: Australia attack, the ball’s sent into the box but Fowler doesn’t connect with a snapshot. Then play is stopped by the referee for Sam Kerr to receive treatment. This does not look good at all. Her right leg was caught in an Eriksson tackle.
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75 mins: Alex Chidiac is coming on for Australia. She has deserved much more game time this World Cup, in my opinion. Courtney Nevin is also being throw on. Carpenter and Polkinghorne make way.
74 mins: Kaneryd is at the heart of a couple of drives towards goal, the first is cut out, the second is fed wide for a dangerous cross that skims off heads and cleared with Hurtig lurking.
72 mins: It’s all become a bit scrappy in midfield.
70 mins: Australia have seen a bit more of the ball in the past couple of minutes but Sweden’s defence is comfortable with anything thrown at them in the air. Vine then tries to go outside Andersson but dribbles into touch.
68 mins: Australia have struggled all night and the game now risks getting away from them. A free-kick on the left in Sweden’s half offers some respite. Catley loops it to the far post, Hunt nods it back across and Polkinghorne is on the spot to hammer a volley… straight at Musovic! Close for the Matildas.
66 mins: There she is again, Rolfö feeding Blackstenius in behind only for Arnold to stand up bravely one-on-one. The offside flag went up but had the ball found the back of the net VAR would have ruled it a goal.
Blackstenius and Asllani now make their way to the bench. Both have been superb all night. Lina Hurtig and Rebecka Blomqvist come on.
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65 mins: Now Kaneryd is almost through – but Catley denies Sweden with a magnificent last-ditch tackle. Kaneryd was put through by Rolfö who is enjoying her best match of the World Cup by some margin, drifting in from the left and dictating play in the final third.
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64 mins: Crisp, clinical counterattack from Sweden. Blackstenius has played the No 9 role superbly all night and she demonstrated her poise with her back to goal once more, picking out her captain with a composed assist. The finish showed excellent technique, and the two goal lead does not flatter Sweden.
GOAL! Sweden 2-0 Australia (Asllani, 63)
Van Egmond is immediately into the action, busily keeping the ball moving for Australia, but Fowler gets caught in possession, Carpenter commits herself, and Blackstenius finds space as the counter attack comes at pace. From inside the penalty area the ball is played back to Asllani who fires home from the D low to Arnold’s left. Super finish.
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61 mins: Carpenter chips over a cross but Musovic is untroubled.
60 mins: Finally some substitutions with Van Egmond and Vine replacing the exhausted pair of Gorry and Raso. Gustavsson not reinventing the wheel. Squad members 17-23 must be grinding their teeth on the bench.
58 mins: Australia still unable to clear their lines, and Fowler brings down Asllani just outside the box. Sweden’s free-kick routine is shambolic and Gorry clears. She is one of a number of Matildas players that looks absolutely exhausted. Quite why Gustavsson is persisting with the same XI to this point is beyond me.
57 mins: Again Australia fail to play their way out of defence with Rolfö too strong one-on-one for Carpenter. Then Catley is played into a blind alley by Arnold on the left and is fortunate to win a throw-in. It would appear Gustavsson has instructed his team at the break to draw Sweden onto them, and it appears a very questionable tactic.
56 mins: Cheers from the crowd and applause from Tony Gustavsson as Raso slides in to force a throw-in. It’s that kind of a night so far, plenty of industry but not a lot of finesse from the Matildas.
54 mins: Australia try to play out from the back but they don’t have the patterns of play to execute the manoeuvre at pace and Sweden’s press swarms all over them. The Matildas are lucky to escape with a goal kick – that Arnold punts long.
53 mins: Rubensson then picks Kerr’s pocket in midfield and steams towards the box. She feeds Angeldal on her right and is in acres of space on the penalty spot ready for the one-two and a simple tap-in – but Angeldal instead shoots from a narrow angle and Arnold saves.
52 mins: It’s all been a bit frenetic since the break, lots of contested headers, misplaced passes and long balls. Sweden do their best to steady things down and work their way through the lines. Rolfö then slides a tempting ball behind Australia’s centre-halves and into the path of Kaneryd but Catley does just enough to slide the ball away.
50 mins: It was actually a fair bit further out than I first thought, so Catley has to fashion a cross of some description, but it’s all a bit straight and Kerr is unable to prevent a harmless goal kick.
48 mins: Carpenter digs out a cross from the right that’s in the direction of Kerr but a fraction too high for an attacking header despite the urgency of the crowd. Soon afterwards Andersson brings down Raso just outside the box after good work from Fowler.
46 mins: Sweden immediately on the front foot and they work it around the final third neatly until Rolfö lashes a wild shot into the Queensland night from the edge of the box.
46 mins: No substitutes from either coach. Surely an avalanche of them to come.
The two sides are back out for the second half. Caitlin Foord has a massive bandage wrapped around her head after that challenge with Asllani just before the break.
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Half-time: Sweden 1-0 Australia
Sweden deservedly lead at the break in Brisbane.
45+6 mins: There is plenty of feeling in this with Gorry and Foord in partiuclar determined to leave their mark on their opponents. On one such occasion Asllani and Foord collide after the Swede hacks clear and both require treatment. Foord is up quickly, Asllani takes a little longer.
That clearance came after Musovic didn’t look comfortable in the face of a fizzing Kerr effort from the right side of the box.
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45+5 mins: Fowler is repeatedly second to the ball in midfield, but she gets away with it as Gorry picks up the scraps. She sets Australia on the front foot and is then in a shoving match Asllani after the Swedish skipper came through the back of the Matilda.
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45+4 mins: Australia remain outgunned in midfield and for the umpeenth time tonight Sweden are able to free Blackstenius with space to run into. On this occasion Hunt tracks the striker, forcing her wide, and the resulting shot does not threaten Arnold’s goal.
45+2 mins: The free-kick into the box is nodded down and a snapshot from point-blank range forces Arnold into a magnificent save, diving low to her left to repel the ball with a strong wrist. That was top drawer goalkeeping.
45+1 mins: Sweden clear and Polkinghorne almost gifts then a second! Her backpass is wayward but Blackstenius can’t turn the interception into a chance near the byline.
Not long afterwards Gorry is the first name in Foster’s book for a foul in midfield.
45 mins: Catley floats it over, Sweden’s army of giants head the first ball clear but only as far as Cooney-Cross on the edge of the box who drills a dipping volley that Musovic needs two efforts to defuse.
44 mins: Down the other end, Raso wins a corner off Rubensson.
43 mins: Another chance! Rolfö this time on the counter, making a hash of a right-footed curler from the D with plenty of time to attack the retreating and shorthanded Australian defence.
41 mins: Now Angeldal isn’t far off, lacing a rising thunderbastard that just whooshes over the angle of post and bar.
40 mins: For a minute or more Sweden treat Brisbane like their private training facility, working the ball one way then the other at varying speeds, keeping the ball out of reach of Australia’s forlorn chasers. Eventually Rolfö picks out Asllani with a cross but the volleyed effort is straight at Arnold.
39 mins: Now Sweden get the chance to take some sting out of the match, control possession and return some structure to proceedings.
37 mins: Sam Kerr has come to play tonight, prompting me to drift into a medley of “what-ifs”. She links up twice with Cooney-Cross and acrobatically controls the ball on the edge of the box but Sweden hold their line and clear. They have a chance on the counterattack but fail to connect midfield and attack.
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36 mins: The first break in play all half (aside from the VAR check) is for Eriksson to receive treatment after wearing the back of Kerr’s head to her face while climbing over the back of her Chelsea teammate to win a header.
35 mins: Foord again finds Catley on the left and her low cross fizzes through the box, over the penalty spot, begging to be tucked away, but there’s no blue jersey where it matters.
The match is increasingly frantic and transitional, which suits Australia more than Sweden.
34 mins: Kerr again gets separation from her marker, lays the ball back to Foord who finds Catley on the left. Her cross is met by the onrushing Gorry but her header from miles out is wayward.
33 mins: Australia find Kerr between centre-halves on the edge of the box. Her first touch on her chest is smart but Ilestedt recovers to toe-poke away.
31 mins: Rolfö is straight back into the action as well, stalling Foord in her own penalty area after Gorry’s intervention in midfield threatened to send the Matildas into attack.
GOAL! Sweden 1-0 Australia (Rolfö 30)
Fridolina Rolfö sidefoots a left-footed effort low into the right corner just out of reach of the diving Arnold.
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Actually, Rolfö will now take it…
PENALTY SWEDEN!
It’s clear from the replays that Hunt lost her footing chasing Blackstenius and accidentally clipped the Sweden striker’s heels. Filippa Angeldal with the spot-kick.
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VAR CHECK
When Blackstenius did well holding up the ball on the right edge of the box she went to ground. Clare Hunt was very close at hand, and Cheryl Foster is invited to check her monitor.
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26 mins: Off the bar! Rolfö with a forceful nearpost header after getting to Asllani’s cross before Carpenter after good work from Blackstenius in the right channel.
24 mins: Carpenter gives the ball away poorly in midfield but Polkinghorne rescues the situation and sets up the Matildas on their favoured direct transition. The move ends with Carpenter overlapping on the right, digging out a cross for Raso – who fashions a shot – that Musovic takes no chances with and pushes behind for a corner.
Musovic then rises among a forest of bodies to collect Cooney-Cross’ corner. The Sweden keeper has enjoyed some tournament.
22 mins: Australia have switched Raso to the left and Foord to the right. The move has allowed the former plenty of opportunities to get into the game, but her end product has been left wanting.
21 mins: Sweden turn the ball over in midfield and Australia are soon into their patterns of play, linking well down the left, finding Kerr’s feet with the striker’s back to goal, but the crucial through-ball to Raso is overhit and Sweden escape. The Matildas are starting to gain a foothold after a slow start.
19 mins: Catley’s delivery is decent but Polkinghorne can’t enough purchase on her header just goalside of the penalty spot.
18 mins: They can’t capitalise on the opportunity though and Australia – through Raso again – tear forward on the counter. Nearing the penalty area Raso’s first creative effort is blocked, but the Matildas keep it alive two, three, four times with sustain pressure. Eventually Kerr has the composure to slide a pass wide to Foord and her dangerous cross is tapped behind for a corner.
17 mins: Fowler’s outmuscled in midfield and Sweden’s weight of numbers in midfield allows them to extract the ball from a tight area and switch play to open the field.
16 mins: Better from Gorry, hustling Asllani out of possession on the left and finding herself unfortunate not to win a corner.
15 mins: Foord threatens to get behind Björn on the left but the Swedish fullback makes up the ground to execute the tackle in a flash.
14 mins: Even a hopeful ball into the channel turns into a dangerous Swedish threat with Catley forced to concede territory with a throw-in. Yellow jerseys swarm forward to resume play and get the ball moving in that final third, but the decisive vertical pass is a fraction too high for Kaneryd.
13 mins: Australia look miles off the pace. Chasing Swedish shadows in midfield Gorry concedes a free-kick, but the delivery is headed clear by Carpenter.
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11 mins: Blackstenius again doing superbly with her back to goal, controlling a hot ball with great technique, withstanding Gorry’s close attention and feeding Rolfö on the touchline. Arnold plucks the cross out of the sky but she has already seen more action that she would have preferred early on.
9 mins: Sweden are being brave in possession, looking to keep the ball moving quickly with one-touch angled passes. They’re moving Australia around like choreographers, manipulating space for Angeldal to drop a ball over the top for the ever-willing Blackstenius to run on to, but she can’t hook her leg around the ball to fashion a cross.
7 mins: Catley’s delivery is awful, doesn’t beat the first defender, and Australia have to go all the way back to Arnold to retain possession… before coughing it up on the left wing anyway.
6 mins: The sound of thousands of young Matildas fans screaming tells you Australia are mounting a rare counterattack. It’s with with the speedy Raso bursting through the centre of the park. She feeds Foord to her left and her attempted cross is smothered off the boot – but by a Swedish hand – and Australia earn a free-kick in a dangerous situation.
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5 mins: Australia just cannot get on the ball. Whenever they have a sniff they give it away and Sweden are reluctant to return it to them in midfield. That row of three Swedes behind Blackstenius are enjoying the freedom of Brisbane between the lines.
3 mins: All Sweden early on and Blackstenius is again in behind, but this time she’s too wide to go alone and her cross is too hot for Rolfö.
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1 min: Close for Sweden! After some early pinball Sweden get the ball on the deck and feed Blackstenius with her back to goal. She interchanges passes with Asllani and drives into the penalty area, drawing an excellent save from Arnold diving low to her right with the shot angling across her. Carpenter completes the clearance.
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Kick-off!
The battle for bronze is under way.
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Just a reminder that Sweden are in their home strip tonight of yellow shirts, blue shorts, yellow socks. Australia are top to toe in aqua blue with royal blue accents.
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@JPHowcroft g’day jp
— Stuie Neale (@MrNeale92) August 19, 2023
The Matildas should be proud of themselves
The whole tournament been brilliant
Sure has Stuie.
Anthems sung, pennants exchanged, Gianni Infantino picked out in the posh seats by the camera operator, it’s almost time for kick-off.
So when the teams walk out onto the field shortly afterwards the crowd is ready to greet them with a deafening roar. One final opportunity for these players to soak in the atmosphere.
Time for the prematch formalities, beginning with the Welcome to Country. Which at Brisbane is performed by the superb Uncle Shannon Ruska, who delivers the moment like prizefight hype-man, whipping up the crowd beautifully.
Today we are playing on Yuggera & Turrbal country.
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 18, 2023
We acknowledge the Yuggera & Turrbal peoples as the first Custodians of the land, air and water where Brisbane Stadium is situated today, and we pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. pic.twitter.com/b60BGvPoES
“Pitch dark greetings from California. What a World Cup this has been, I regret that it is almost over. And this Aussie side has been inspiring to watch. Watching Sam Kerr perform one more time on the World stage is can’t be missed. Go Matilda’s, Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi,oi,oi!” Great to have you on board again Mary Waltz.
It is a sell out in Brisbane and the sun is setting behind Suncorp Stadium. Glorious scenes and fitting farewell for Australia’s participation in this World Cup.
Tonight’s referee is Cheryl Foster, a former all-time record appearance holder for the Wales women’s national football team. She refereed this year’s UEFA Women’s Champions League final.
Conditions in Brisbane are warm and dry and glorious.
@JPHowcroft There are few things more tedious than the sporting code wars. Pathetically insecure administrators flexing at each other. I'm embarrassed for all of them.. It does nothing for sport in Australia, which is the saddest thing.
— phil withall (@phil_withall) August 19, 2023
Amen Phil.
“As far as Tony G is concerned, I’ll only give him a pass mark if the Matildas win tonight,” emails Chris Paraskevas. “It might sound a bit harsh, and I do empathize with the emotional rollercoaster he’s been on, but I get the feeling he lost control of the campaign a little and let things get away from him, on and off the pitch. At the critical moments he hasn’t shown the tactical acumen required to change games (bailed out against France, punished by Nigeria and England).
The team also weren’t in the right headspace at the start of the semi final: that’s the responsibility of the manager and their ability to help “block out the noise”.
For me, he resembles more a cheerleader than a manager (he literally wears supporters’ scarves) which was a gamble that almost paid off for FA. But at the business end of tournaments, its the meticulous preparation and cool-under-pressure of a Sarina Wiegman that’s the difference.
I actually doubt we’ll beat a very organised Sweden side, but hoping we can finish the tournament on a high.”
This is a beautiful behind-the-scenes look at the Matildas over the past month.
Fortunately, Exhibit A has presented itself while we’re all still paying attention.
In Melbourne, Adelaide, and Hobart tonight’s match is being played on the host broadcaster’s secondary digital channel, complete with no more than 30 minutes of build-up.
Code wars gonna code war.
A consistent theme throughout this tournament has been how to capitalise on the euphoria of the past month.
The hard work starts now. How does the governing body and its state and territory affiliates convert this palpable enthusiasm for women’s football into government and commercial dollars, ongoing media interest and sustainable fan attention? How, in other words, do they make this football fever stick?
It really feels like we have brought the nation together.
"It really feels like we have brought the nation together"
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 18, 2023
Leaving a lasting legacy & inspiring the next generation! 🙏#Matildas #FIFAWWC #TilitsDone @samkerr1 pic.twitter.com/tE1EnrU70X
Critics say it’s just a cynical money-grab at the end of a long tournament but for those involved there is plenty at stake.
Australia are the nominal away side tonight, so they’ll be wearing that aqua number in which they performed so superbly against Canada at the end of the group phase.
🇸🇪🥉🇦🇺#SWE | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/krTQBqdeNa
— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) August 18, 2023
Tonight's strip 🔵#Matildas #FIFAWWC #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/yBQAh3JLam
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 19, 2023
If Gustavsson fails Stateside, he could always find work fronting a Deacon Blue tribute act.
Speaking of Gustavsson, tonight may be the last time we see his curtains contained by an Australian cap. The USWNT are reportedly interested in him filling the biggest managerial job in women’s football.
For the final time this tournament our man with the Matildas, Kieran Pender, sets the scene for what in Sweden is known superbly as the bronsmatch.
Tony Gustavsson foreshadowed he will stick with his regular starting line-up for the game at Suncorp Stadium. There have been growing calls for the coach to deploy his squad depth, with the Matildas making the least use of substitutes of all teams at the World Cup. Asked whether the likes of young stars Charlotte Grant or Clare Wheeler might be given an opportunity against Sweden, the Swede hinted that he would not be ringing the changes.
Australia XI
The same bunch of Matildas that came so close against England are as follows:
📋 Bronze Medal Match ready ✅
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 19, 2023
Our last lineup of this unforgettable #FIFAWWC is IN.#Matildas #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/gwHRpm23PP
Alanna Kennedy remains absent with concussion symptoms.
Sweden XI
Undermining the suggestion that the third-place playoff is an opportunity to share the love among the two squads, neither coach has made a change to their starting XI. That means Sweden look like this:
Mot VM-bronset – TILLSAMMANS 💛💙#SWE | #FIFAWWC
— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) August 19, 2023
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Sweden v Australia from Lang Park in Brisbane. Kick-off in this Women’s World Cup third-place play-off is 6pm AEST/9am BST.
This is match 63 of 64 this World Cup, and the least important of the lot. So let’s enjoy ourselves.
For the next few hours we can put the stress and anxiety of tomorrow aside and reflect on a magical month that has proved transformative here in Australia and continued the upward trajectory of women’s football globally.
Let’s celebrate Thembi Kgatlana’s injury-time winner for South Africa, and Linda Caicedo’s brilliance for Colombia. Let’s reflect on the record attendances and viewing figures, and the refreshing new voices in the media. Let’s consider the end of an era for the USWNT and the start of hopefully a new generation in international women’s football with the gap between the best and the rest narrower and more geographically diverse than ever before.
Together we can manipulate the peak-end rule to our advantage and sign off from this month on a high.
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Preamble
Chin up.
