England fans taunt Australians outside Sydney Opera House
You can’t scare us! England fans taunt with chants of ‘it’s coming home’ outside Sydney Opera House amid row over Aussies stealing away fans’ seats and sending a HELICOPTER over the Lionesses training ground ahead of World Cup semi final vs the Matildas
- England v Australia in Women’s World Cup semi-final at 11am UK time today
- Winner of match in Sydney today will play Spain in final on Sunday at 11am
Australia has been in a celebratory mood this summer, having already retained the Ashes and won the Netball World Cup at the expense of the old enemy.
And the exploits of their footballers in the Women’s World Cup in recent weeks have now further galvanised a nation which revels in its sporting rivalry with England.
For the English, memories are still fresh in the mind of Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow in the second Test at Lord’s, which prompted booing and chants of ‘Same old Aussies, always cheating’ for the remainder of the series.
Today, England and Australia go head-to-head in a huge semi-final – kicking off at 11am UK time – that has seen an outbreak of banter between the two nations.
The European champions are assured of a hostile welcome at a sold-out Stadium Australia as they try to end the Matildas’ dream of World Cup glory on home soil.
Australian football fans queue up to get into Vauxhall Food and Beer Garden in London today
Australian football fans have a beer at Vauxhall Food and Beer Garden in London this morning
Jessica Rimmington and her daughter Ivy wait outside Vauxhall Food and Beer Garden today
Australian football fans queue up to get into Vauxhall Food and Beer Garden in London today
Australian football fans gather at Vauxhall Food and Beer Garden in London today
Australian football fans prepare to watch the match at the bar in London’s Vauxhall today
England fans with the ‘FreeLionesses’ supporters group gathered in front of Sydney Opera House today, with some joking that there is ‘no rivalry, it’s not cricket’.
KATHRYN BATTE: It’s 11 Lionesses vs 75,000 rabid Aussies! England are on enemy turf and must silence a hostile crowd to reach first World Cup final
Others said the team were going to ‘bring it home’ and ‘it’s absolutely coming home’, referring to the song Three Lions by Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds.
It comes as the England team found themselves on the receiving end of a bizarre spying controversy after a training session was photographed from a helicopter.
Meanwhile, tickets intended for England fans were bought up by Australians after a unique Lionesses code for an allocation of 1,970 was leaked on social media.
A post on the Football Association’s website said the access code ‘Lioness’ was exclusively for England fans.
But several Australian supporters managed to buy tickets in their opponents’ section of the stadium and bragged they would be ‘wearing Matildas’ shirts.
The European champions will take on the Matildas at Sydney’s sold-out Stadium Australia, where most of the 75,000 in attendance will be backing the co-hosts.
The winner of today’s contest will take on Spain for the trophy this Sunday at 11am UK time, after they beat Sweden 2-1 yesterday to book their trip to the final.
Outside the Sydney Opera House today, one England fan told BBC Breakfast: ‘We’re definitely outnumbered fan-wise, but I don’t think that’s going to stop us tonight, we’re gonna be up for it.’
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
Another said: ‘There’s no rivalry, it’s not cricket, we’re gonna win, we’re gonna bring it home, 100 per cent.’
READ MORE Australian papers turn the screw ahead of England’s World Cup semi-final clash with the Matildas… claiming the hosts will ‘tame the Lionesses’
A third added: ‘I’m buzzing, we’re ready to put on a show and silence the country.’ And a fourth said: ‘We can win it.’
In London today, eager Australian football fans based in the UK turned out in force to cheer on their team.
More than two hours before kick-off more than 100 fans queued up outside the Vauxhall Beer Garden this morning – with not a England fan in sight.
Many wore the bright yellow colours of the team while others draped themselves in the national flag.
Jessica Rimmington travelled from her home in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with her ten-year-old daughter Ivy to watch the match with other fans.
Ivy had her face painted with the national flag and clutched two soft toys – a kangaroo and crocodile.
Ms Rimmington, who has lived in the UK for five years, said: ‘We travelled a long way to be here, but wanted to be with other Oz fans. It is going to be a special day.’
Ivy added: ‘We are going to win. I hope the Matildas’ win.’
TV cameras crews from Australian TV broadcast live with one fan telling the reporter: ‘What’s not to like? Footy and a beer at 9am.’
Casey Findlay and Tim Hearn said they are dual citizens with Australian and English passports, but having grown up in Australia they are supporting the Matildas.
Casey said: ‘I grew up going to their games when there were just 1,000 people in the ground. It is going to be amazing seeing so many people watching in the stadium.
‘We will win because of the energy and support that will be coming to the team.’
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
England supporters outside Sydney Opera House before the World Cup semi-final match today
Sharon Holmes queued up while clutching an inflatable kangaroo and wore an Aussie team shirt.
READ MORE The nation’s pride: David and Harper Beckham and Jill Scott lead rallying cry to the Lionesses – as millions plan to ditch work to watch crunch World Cup semi-final vs Australian Matildas
She is visiting relatives in Newbury, Berkshire, and said she could not resist watching the match.
‘It is nice to be here among so many people who all want the same thing – a Matildas win.’
The majority of those waiting for the Vauxhall Beer Garden to open were women.
It comes after the Australian Daily Telegraph sent up an aircraft to capture images from the Lionesses’ behind-closed-doors session at their training base as they finalised plans for today’s match.
Published under the headline ‘Eleven Poms against a nation: Welcome to the jungle, Lionesses’, the pictures show England boss Sarina Wiegman and her staff putting the players through their paces ahead of the eagerly-anticipated contest.
The newspaper wrote: ‘If England’s Lionesses thought they would happily fly into the World Cup semi-final under the radar they were in for a rude shock.
‘We’ve sent the chopper up to see how the old enemy are preparing…Welcome to the jungle, Lionesses, we’ve got fun and games.’
It added: ‘It might not be in the spirit of football, but after last month’s men’s Ashes cricket series we will let the moral arbiters England pass judgment on what is and isn’t acceptable in the world of sport.’
The Football Association has declined to comment on the incident.
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