EXC: Lionesses to face Australia in a friendly before the World Cup

EXCLUSIVE: England Women will play World Cup hosts Australia in their final game before the tournament… and the friendly could be hugely beneficial to Sarina Wiegman, given the two sides are on a collision course for the last-16

  • Lionesses will face Australia in a friendly in their last game before the World Cup
  • It will be the final game before Wiegman names her preliminary World Cup team
  • England and Australia could meet in the last 16 of this summer’s tournament 

The Lionesses will play a friendly against World Cup hosts Australia in their final game before the end of the domestic season. 

England, who finish their Arnold Clark Cup campaign against Belgium next week, are due to face Brazil in the Finalissma at Wembley on April 6. 

Sportsmail understands the second match in that international window will be against the Matildas at another UK venue. It will be the Lionesses’ final game before Sarina Wiegman names her preliminary World Cup squad. 

Australia, who are co-hosting the World Cup with New Zealand, have several Women’s Super League players in their ranks including Chelsea striker Sam Kerr. 

The fixture could prove to be extremely beneficial for Wiegman, given the two countries could meet in the last 16 of this summer’s tournament. 

England will face Australia in a friendly in their last game before this summer’s World Cup

Australia have several Women’s Super League players in their ranks including Sam Kerr (left)

It will be England’s final game before Sarina Wiegman names her preliminary World Cup squad

The winners of England’s group will face the runners-up of Australia’s in Brisbane on August 7. 

The last time the two teams met was in a friendly in 2018, which ended 1-1 after Clare Polkinghorne cancelled out Fran Kirby’s first half goal with a late equaliser. 

England beat the Aussies in two friendlies in 2015, winning 3-0 and 1-0 in the respective fixtures. 

Australia did earn a surprise victory over Team GB in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics but have not defeated an English side since a 2-0 victory in a behind closed doors friendly in 2011.

The Matildas are 12th in the FIFA rankings, eight places below England, who are fourth.

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