England walked out and for a moment it might have felt like they had been there before. A crowd of over 75,000, millions elsewhere turning in. An expectant nation inspired by the power and momentum of a team who represent something greater than themselves. But this wasn’t the Euros final. This wasn’t Wembley. This time England were the enemy, deep in the land of Matildas fever. This time they faced the crowd, the noise, the jeers and boos, the helicopters hovering over their training session and splashing photos of their plans across the morning newspapers. They faced Australia’s biggest night in a generation. They faced the spirit of Cathy Freeman, and a moment that would unify the country. They faced Sam Kerr, and they heard the eruption that greeted the star of the World Cup finally having her moment. The Lionesses faced all that but did not shake. Instead, they turned it into a first World Cup final, in a tournament that has been defined by the problems and challenges that have blocked their every turn. For England, this was the anti-Euros final, as the Lionesses got one game away from their World Cup dream while denying the hosts a shot at theirs. As England tamed the atmosphere in Sydney, and Sweet Caroline rang around the quickly emptying Stadium Australia, they did so with the coldest and most clinical performance of Sarina Wiegman’s reign. The Lionesses fouled, the Lionesses wasted time, the Lionesses picked up cheap yellow cards and took away Australia’s momentum. But they also played, they controlled, and they were the better team for large spells. And when Kerr burst forward and struck an unstoppable shot past Mary Earps, England managed to overturn the story of the World Cup and produce something from nothing all over again. It helps, then, that they could turn to a player who at this World Cup has lifted England by doing that. Lauren Hemp has turned into England’s match-winner, a devastating central forward transformed from a player who was as true a winger as you could possibly find. The Euros last summer were supposed to be her tournament and the 23-year-old was tipped to be its breakout star. In response, opponents double-marked her and in turn, it created space for Beth Mead to be England’s player of the tournament on the opposite flank. In another world, Hemp’s World Cup could have been over when England switched formation and landed on a system that wouldn’t use wingers at all. Kept in the team but as a second forward, Hemp has been released by it, becoming the pinball in England’s attack. Against Australia she was everywhere once again, bouncing off the challenges, pinging around the frontline and doing the work of two positions. Hemp is so involved because she chases everything, winning a throw-in, taking the ball and driving, not towards goal but just to get England up the pitch. In England’s gruelling progress through the knockout stages, she has grafted endlessly, turning hopeful punts into clever, targeted balls downfield. And then she got her reward, not once but twice: the first to put England towards the final, the second to seal it. Chasing down Ellie Carpenter, Hemp burst in behind, took a ball that was not hers to win, and finished past Mackenzie Arnold. Then, moments after Kerr blazed a golden chance over the bar, Hemp created Alessia Russo’s goal from a position that was not even a fraction as threatening. Hemp latched onto a loose ball in midfield, she turned, accelerated, delayed the pass and created the angle for her strike partner. The finish was ruthless too. At the end of it all, England somehow managed to get away with it while also being utterly deserving of their place in Sunday’s final. This was a night where England needed to be perfect and there were large spells where they simply weren’t. The Lionesses rode their luck until it looked like they had run out of it. Australia waited for a moment, a loose England pass, or a break downfield, and the Lionesses gave them both; Russo was dispossessed and Kerr raced away. As England should have known, with Kerr, a moment like that was all Australia required. But on the whole, England were just cooler than Australia. In the first half, the pressure England were facing came from themselves, but it almost seemed that as soon as Wiegman’s side realised that, they immediately relaxed and the picture they were facing became clearer. Slowly, gradually, England figured it out. For the first time, Keira Walsh was able to turn on the ball and England were able to put a move together, playing through midfield, finding the space out. They looked a level above, but this was an occasion where their dark arts were needed as well. There were a trio of fouls on Kerr within the opening 25 minutes of the Australia captain’s first start of the World Cup. As the Lionesses closed it out, Earps took her time from every goal-kick, Jess Carter with every throw-in down England’s right. Lucy Bronze stayed down, then so did Georgia Stanway. Hemp kept the ball in the corner, Chloe Kelly refused to throw it back. But England had been here before; this was the experience of European champions, and now there is an even bigger prize to win. Read More Sensational England capitalise on Sam Kerr’s missed moment to make World Cup history When do England play the Women’s World Cup final? Will Lauren James play in the Women’s World Cup final? Lionesses react after beating Australia in Women’s World Cup semis Sensational England capitalise on Sam Kerr’s missed moment to make World Cup history Will Lauren James play in the Women’s World Cup final?

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Justice Department investigators have interviewed Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson as part of their investigation into Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Ms Benson’s meeting with prosecutors working for special counsel Jack Smith took place last month and lasted for “several hours”, a source told CNN. Michigan was one of the crucial battleground states targetted by the former president and his allies as he tried to overturn Joe Biden’s legal victory, which is now the subject of a DoJ probe. Her interview with Mr Smith’s team took place after her office was subpoenaed and provided a tranche of documents to the special prosecutor that included communications between the state’s election officials and Mr Trump’s former lawyers and members of his campaign. In one email a Michigan election official reported receiving a voicemail from a person claiming to be a lawyer working for Rudy Giuliani, who was then Mr Trump’s personal attorney. “While the City Clerk of Rochester Hills, Michigan, I received voicemails in December 2020 specifically requesting access to the election equipment,” the email read, reported CNN. The official also included an audio file of a call that came in from a “lawyer with Rudy Giuliani’s team,” according to the news network. In January, to mark the second anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, Ms Benson was among 12 people to receive the Presidential Citizens Medal from Joe Biden. The president said that the medals how “courage and selflessness” around the events of the riot at the US Capitol, which were intended to prevent the certification of Mr Biden’s election victory. “This extraordinary recognition gives me hope that we will emerge out of this time with a democracy that is stronger, healthier, and more robust than ever before. That is what I fight for, have hope for, and what I have confidence that all of us working together can achieve,” Ms Benson said in a statement at the time. Read More A former Trump supporter who got caught up in a January 6 conspiracy theory sues Fox News Trump slams DOJ for scrapping E Jean Carroll suit immunity as DeSantis balks at being his VP - latest Capitol riot suspect arrested near Obama’s home will remain in jail until trial

Liverpool are taking on Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium today as both sides look to bounce back from chastening defeats in the Premier League last weekend. Liverpool were on the receiving end of that disastrous VAR call which saw Luis Diaz have a goal incorrectly ruled out despite checks confirming he was onside. They enjoyed a Europa League win over Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday but Jurgen Klopp has warned his side they are facing a dangerous opponent in Brighton. “We expect a really tough game against one of the best sides in the league, the best-coached team in the league, I would say.” Brighton, however, were thrashed 6-1 by Aston Villa last weekend with manager Roberto De Zerbi concerned that his squad are not equipped to play European football alongside domestic duties. They come into this one with several injury concerns, after salvaging a late draw at Marseille in the Europa League in midweek. Follow all the latest score and updates from Brighton vs Liverpool below and get all the latest Premier League betting sites offers here. Read More Liverpool’s new double-act are surprising even Jurgen Klopp

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