Matildas report card: How England exposed exhausted Aussies in World Cup semi-final

England’s attackers were ruthless against a spent Australian defensive line, while Sam Kerr will rue a number of missed chances. TILLY WERNER dissects the Matildas’ World Cup semi-final loss.

Ellie Carpenter is put under pressure by Lauren Hemp, on her way to scoring the second England goal. Picture: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Australia’s hopes of World Cup glory on home soil ended with a 3-1 loss to England at Stadium Australia on Wednesday night.

Here is our Matildas report card, analysing and rating every element of the performance.

Goalkeeper: B-

None of the goals which found their way past Mackenzie Arnold were stoppable. Ella Toone’s finish was stunning, Ellie Carpenter’s defensive gaffe gave Arnold her no time to stop Lauren Hemp’s shot and Alessia Russo was always going to find the back of the net, as she has done each time she has been given such a clear chance.

Arnold had some important saves to keep her teammates in the hunt but a two-goal deficit with just 10 to play and nothing left in the tanks of most of the field players was too high a hurdle to overcome.

England forward Alessia Russo (R) scores the third and final goal past Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold. Picture: Saeed Khan/AFP

Defenders: C

They were caught high, low, inside and outside. The experience of England’s tracking line was too much for Clare Hunt’s 11 caps, their speed was too great for Clare Polkinghorne’s legs and their skill too good for Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter to keep them from cutting inside.

With Polkinghorne the only of the back four who hadn’t played every minute of this tournament so far, the Australian defenders looked spent after England fired through the first half, keeping possession and forcing a high work rate out of tired legs. Carpenter’s unfortunate mistake was costly but it’s hard to believe that Hemp’s furious approaches into the final third wouldn’t have created another goal anyway if it hadn’t occurred.

Ellie Carpenter is put under pressure by Lauren Hemp, en route to England’s second goal. Picture: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Midfield: C+

Katrina Gorry and Kyra Cooney-Cross worked incredibly hard to limit the impact of the English midfield and did an incredibly good job, but England had an answer. Though they frustrated Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway, Australia’s focus on the pair gave Lucy Bronze more time on the ball and allowed Millie Bright to deliver perfect aerial balls over the midfield to the feet of Hemp and Russo.

Hayley Raso’s speed was met with both pace and bodywork, resulting in her quietest game of the tournament. While Caitlin Foord benefited from having Sam Kerr back in the middle to feed her the ball, they couldn’t find the final pass and looked out of sync from Kerr’s disrupted campaign.

England goalscorer Ella Toone clashes with Australian midfielder Katrina Gorry. Picture: Saeed Khan/AFP)

Attackers: C

Sam Kerr’s goal was stunning. It’s a contender for goal of the tournament and it meant so much to the 75,000-strong crowd to see her have her moment on the biggest stage in football. But missed opportunities that Kerr would usually deliver on cost Australia the chance to narrow the margin or take the win. An open header, a volley passed wide and a one-on-one; all situations where you would back the superstar striker to score, yet they went begging, as did the nation’s pleas for Kerr to perform a miracle.

Mary Fowler was tagged out of the game after her performance against France, with Walsh keeping her quiet. While she came out swinging early in the second half, England retaking the lead looked to zap what was left of her energy stores.

A worldie and a string of missed chances: Sam Kerr was in the thick of it in the World Cup semi-final against England. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Bench: C-

Tony Gustavsson was outmanoeuvred by the savvy Sarina Wiegman, who had an answer for everything but the will of Kerr. Gustavsson attempted to add some urgency to the match by bringing on Cortnee Vine, who added some much-needed intent going forward, but countered it with Emily van Egmond, who didn’t have the aggression needed to reclaim possession and go forth.

Alex Chidiac had little time to get into gear and unfortunately wasn’t able to deliver any ‘game-changing’ plays in her nine minutes. Shifting Cooney-Cross – who was one of Australia’s best – into a back three to accommodate van Egmond’s arrival cost Australia a goal and likely a last-ditch entry into the attacking third.

Gustavsson’s lack of rotations through the previous matches meant that his core players had very little left to give and it seemed that, as much as they wanted to prevail over a strong England side, there was only adrenaline and pride in the reserves of the Matildas.