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England are into the Women’s World Cup final after beating Australia 3-1 in the semis, leaving the Lionesses squad dreaming of making it back-to-back major tournament successes. Having already won Euro 2022 last summer, Sarina Wiegman’s squad will now face Spain on Sunday for a shot a second straight triumph on the biggest stage of all. Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo were all on the scoresheet, with Sam Kerr briefly equalising for the Matilda’s with a stunning long-range effort in the second half. But the day belonged to England as the co-hosts were knocked out, with wing-back Lucy Bronze noting afterwards the atmosphere was a sensational throughout the encounter. “[Wiegman told us] just that we played how we wanted to: determined, resilient. I couldn’t hear much else! She talked about silencing the crowd, I feel like we did that tonight [especially] after the third goal. “We all dreamed of being in the final and to have family and friends staying here the whole way through because they believed in us is unbelievable. At the same time, against Australia, in Australia and what a fantastic tournament they had, I’m just amazed to get to the final.” Bronze, who plays in Spain with Barcelona, knows from the quality of her club teammates that England will be in for a hugely difficult encounter in the final, noting several of the squad as “unbelievable” talents. Goalscorer Russo, meanwhile, was impressed with her team’s capacity to turn the match after the equaliser, when Australia were at the time in the ascendency. “I’m over the moon! I’m laughing at the friends and family dancing in the crowd,” she said. “We’ve been dreaming of it but this is what it’s all about - we’re buzzing. “When they scored they had momentum but Hempo’s goal flipped it. [The third] helped us see the game out. “The fans are brilliant every single time - to celebrate with them is really special. Spain’s going to be even tougher, every game has been of the highest level but we’re excited. We’ll recover and go [there] to win.” For Wiegman, Sunday’s World Cup final will mean four straight appearances in the last game at major tournaments, having won the 2017 Euros with Netherlands, reached the 2019 World Cup final with the same team and most recently taking the Lionesses to the Euros triumph of last summer. The head coach praised her team’s ability to find different routes to victory, with a strong mentality on show at both ends of the pitch. “We achieved a final! It’s unbelievable. We won the game at this incredible stadium, it was a hard game of course but again we found a way to win,” she said. “You’ve been talking about ruthlessness all the time; this team have it whether it’s in offence or defence. We really want to win, we stick to the plan and it worked again. “Australia have done an incredible job, they grew into the tournament because they had setbacks too, then they started playing better and better and Sam Kerr came back - you saw today why she’s the star of the team. “The chance as a coach or a player to make two finals is really special. I never take anything for granted, it’s like being in a fairytale or something now.” Read More Alessia Russo says England can win ‘tough’ World Cup final against Spain England fans sing and dance to ‘Sweet Caroline’ as Lionesses reach World Cup final Lionesses sing ‘Sweet Caroline’ in pitch celebration as they reach World Cup final England fans celebrate three goals as Lionesses reach Women’s World Cup final Watch: England fans react as Lionesses reach World Cup final Brian Blessed’s powerful rendition of Three Lions in message of support to Lionesses

Ella Toone struck a magnificent opener for England against Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-final. The Manchester United star smashed the ball high into the top corner before wheeling away in delight with her teammates. The 23-year-old, who has grabbed her opportunity in place of the suspended Lauren James, explained her celebration ahead of time. FOLLOW LIVE - Australia vs England LIVE: Women’s World Cup semi-final score and updates "Yeah, I'd do an absolute madness,” Toone told BBC 5 Live. “I definitely do think about that and in tournament football, moments fall to different people, and if you take them moments, and we've definitely had a lot of them throughout the tournament. “I'm sure if it falls to me in the box then I'd be buzzing to put it away. Well, usually anything happens! “But I'm on strict orders that my mates, we all got matching tattoos before I came out. They want me to kiss it and do a little love heart. so I promised them I'd do that.” BBC pundit Alex Scott praised Toone’s impact, saying: “She lost her place to Lauren James, she’s saying, ‘don’t forget about me,’ what a goal it was.” While Ellen White added: There’s a bit of bite behind that, I’m still here, I’m here for a show, I’m not going anywhere and I’m taking this team to a World Cup final.” Read More Australia vs England LIVE: Women’s World Cup semi-final score and updates after stunning Ella Toone goal Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card?

Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure. Jurgen Klopp has insisted on a number six to bolster his squad after missing out on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, with Romeo Lavia set to follow the Ecuadorian to Stamford Bridge. The Anfield club have had to search for alternative options, with Doucoure likely to be cheaper than both previous targets. Doucoure’s final price could come in at under £60 million, although Palace are wary of losing too many players this summer. The Malian midfielder is understood to be keen to move to Anfield, and personal terms would not be an issue. Liverpool are also looking at Fulham's Joao Paulinha and Nice's Khephren Thuram but the 23-year-old Doucoure is seen as a more viable option to do right now. Klopp is keen to “reload” in the coming weeks as the Reds revamp their squad and starting options. The German said: “We don’t have to always say ‘Milner would have said that and Henderson would have said that and Firmino would have smiled here.’ We should not do it like that. That makes no sense. “We have this kind of new start with this Liverpool reloaded, it’s an exciting thing. Everybody was asking for changes, rightly so, because we were together for a long time. “It’s a new chance for everybody, everybody has to step up. We all share responsibility and it’s not that we should give ourselves too much time to grow into it, let’s do it. “Let’s take the responsibility and go from there and don’t try to be like somebody. Be the best version of yourself and then you have a good chance to help the team in the best possible way.” Read More Big-spending Chelsea close to completing deals for Romeo Lavia and Michael Olise Moises Caicedo completes Chelsea’s dream midfield — but £115m deal could haunt them Chelsea-Liverpool chaos was the perfect result for one team: Brighton

Deontay Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel, has said he is ‘optimistic’ that a fight between the “Bronze Bomber” and Anthony Joshua will take place early next year. Joshua knocked out Robert Helenius in the seventh round on Saturday (12 August), 10 months after Wilder stopped the Finn in Round 1, and a clash between the former heavyweight champions has never seemed closer. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has spoken positively about negotiations for months, while Finkel has commented on the situation less frequently. However, Finkel told Sky Sports on Tuesday (15 August): “I am optimistic that a deal can be made for Deontay to fight Joshua in early 2024.” The fight has been one of the most-anticipated in boxing since 2018, though Briton Joshua and his American counterpart have experienced mixed fortunes since. Joshua suffered his first professional loss in 2019 when he was stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr, and he has lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk since then. “AJ”, 33, has also outpointed Ruiz and Jermaine Franklin and knocked out Kubrat Pulev and Helenius in that time, though. Meanwhile, Wilder fought Tyson Fury to a controversial draw in late 2018 before suffering two knockout losses to the Briton. The 37-year-old has, however, knocked out Dominic Breazeale, Luis Ortiz and Helenius in the last four years. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Anthony Joshua has the blueprint to beat Deontay Wilder – is he brave enough to use it? Deontay Wilder’s coach reveals American’s reaction to Anthony Joshua knockout Tyson Fury promoter Frank Warren hits out at ‘boring’ Anthony Joshua performance

England face hosts Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals as the Lionesses come up against not just the Matildas but an entire nation in Sydney. The stage for the latest chapter of England and Australia’s historic rivalry could not be bigger as both teams aim to reach their first-ever Women’s World Cup final, with the hosts gripped by Matildas fever and set for their biggest sporting occasion since the 2000 Olympic Games. The Lionesses rode the wave of home support as they won the Euros last summer but will now look to spoil the party as Sarina Wiegman’s side attempt to make history of their own. England have overcome several challenges to reach the semi-finals and are now faced with their biggest yet as they take on a near-80,000 capacity crowd at Stadium Australia. A place against Spain in Sunday’s final is up for grabs, with ‘La Roja’ defeating Sweden 2-1 yesterday. Follow live updates from England vs Australia in the semi-finals and get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here Read More How to watch England vs Australia: TV channel and kick-off time for Women’s World Cup semi-final England and Australia’s old rivalry has new stage as World Cup arrives at its biggest moment The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever

England face Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals as Sam Kerr’s fitness remains a key talking point ahead of the clash at Stadium Australia. Kerr is the face of the World Cup but is yet to make a start at the tournament after being ruled out of Australia’s first three games with a calf injury. The striker returned off the bench in the last-16 win against Denmark, before playing 66 minutes as the Matildas defeated France in a dramatic penalty shootout. Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest England vs Australia news and build-up Kerr has declared herself “ready to go” but Australia manager Tony Gustavsson said a decision will only be made on the night before the match. England manager Sarina Wiegman said there are more threats than just Sam Kerr, as the Lionesses look to reach their first ever Women’s World Cup final. The winner will play Spain in Sunday’s showpiece in Sydney, after La Roja defeated Sweden 2-1 in the other semi-final. Here’s everything you need to know as England face Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals. When is England vs Australia? The Women’s World Cup semi-final will kick off at 11am UK time (BST) on Wednesday 16 August, and will be played at the Stadium Australia, Sydney. How can I watch it? England vs Australia will be shown live on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer, with coverage getting underway from 10am. What is the England team news? Lauren James remains unavailable, with the forward serving the second match of her two-game ban, although she will now be free to play either the final or the third-place place playoff, depending on England’s result against Australia. The Lionesses have a fully fit squad elsewhere. Sarina Wiegman kept her 3-5-2 formation against Colombia and is unlikely to make any changes given how well certain areas of the team are performing. The back three of Jess Carter, Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood has excelled in front of goalkeeper Mary Earps, with Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly set to continue as wing-backs. Keira Walsh will start at the base of the midfield, with Georgia Stanway alongside her. The one area of the team Wiegman may decide to change is in Ella Toone’s position given the midfielder’s form, with her Manchester United teammate Katie Zelem an option. Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp both scored against Colombia and are set to lead the line, with Chloe Kelly and Beth England the other attacking options from the bench. What is the Australia team news? Sam Kerr played 66 minutes in the penalty shootout victory over Australia and is close to being fully fit, with Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson facing another big decision as to whether or not to start his captain and star striker. Gustavsson may decide to stick by his starting attack, with a front two of Emily van Egmond and Mary Fowler leading the line and Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso providing threat from the wings. Predicted line-ups England: Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Walsh, Stanway, Daly; Toone; Hemp, Russo Australia: Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley; Raso, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Catley; Fowler, Van Egmond How did both teams reach the semi-finals? England (Winners Group D) 1-0 vs Haiti 1-0 vs Denmark 6-1 vs China 0-0 vs Nigeria (Won 4-2 on penalties) 2-1 vs Colombia Australia (Winners Group B) 1-0 vs Ireland 2-3 vs Nigeria 4-0 vs Canada 2-0 vs Denmark 0-0 vs France (Won 7-6 on penalties) If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch England vs Australia then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Read More England and Australia’s old rivalry has new stage as World Cup arrives at its biggest moment Australia is having a moment — will Sam Kerr finally get hers against England? The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever How England’s Lionesses are preparing for Women’s World Cup semi-final FA ‘disappointed’ after Australia fans secure tickets in allocated England section Millie Bright confident England can cope with hostile atmosphere in Sydney

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Spain face Sweden in the first Women’s World Cup semi-final as both nations go in search of their first tournament crown. Sweden produced their best performance of the World Cup to defeat Japan 2-1 in the quarter-finals, knocking out the team of the tournament with a display of high-tempo pressing while continuing to take their chances at set-pieces. Centre-back Amanda Ilestedt is Sweden’s top-scorer with four goals so far, with the defender in the race for the World Cup golden boot. Spain required Salma Paralluelo’s extra-time goal to defeat Netherlands and have navigated a player mutiny under head coach Jorge Vilda to reach their first ever World Cup semi-final. Despite uncertainty off the field, Spain have shone on it, led by Barcelona stars Aitana Bonmati and the returning Alexia Putellas. The winner will play either England or Australia in Sunday’s World Cup final. Follow live updates from Spain vs Sweden as the semi-finals get underway, and get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?

For Manchester United, the bare minimum was to make a better start to this season than last and the bare minimum was what they delivered. The least convincing of 1-0 wins required a goal from centre-back Raphael Varane when their midfielders and forwards rarely looked like scoring and when United often looked like conceding. They were spared by Wolves’ toothlessness as they scraped their way past a team widely tipped for relegation and whose manager had walked out last week. Even that is an improvement on 12 months ago, when Erik ten Hag’s reign began with a home defeat to Brighton and a 4-0 thrashing at Brentford, but this was a different kind of false start to a campaign. Even the clean sheet for the debutant Andre Onana was partly an indictment, of both his defence and the officials. The £43m goalkeeper somehow avoided conceding an injury-time penalty for clattering into the substitute Sasa Kalajdzic. He had already made two smart saves in as many minutes from another replacement, Fabio Silva. The problem was that he needed to. In a match where Wolves had 23 shots, six on target and an expected goals total of 2.23, all significantly more than their hosts’ tallies, perhaps the deceptive statistic was the scoreline. It flattered United. The more coherent gameplan came from Gary O’Neil, the manager getting to know his players, not Ten Hag, the one who has spent the best part of £400m assembling them. The side with the energy and the ideas were the one who were supposed to be in disarray, Wolves. If the players Julen Lopetegui left behind suggested his complaints that they needed new signings were overblown, they showed a solitary, but familiar, flaw at Old Trafford: they lacked a goalscorer. With one, they would surely have won. The division’s lowest scorers last season assembled a compilation of misses. United, the lowest scorers in the top six, discovered defenders were their best form of attack. After Bruno Fernandes dinked a pass forward, Aaron Wan-Bissaka lobbed a cross and Varane headed in. The presence of each in the box was a sign desperation was starting to take hold. As United had barely created anything of note since Jose Sa saved Marcus Rashford’s 11th-minute shot, their intervention assumed particular importance. Fernandes grew in influence in the latter stages but too many of the other attack-minded personnel were underwhelming. Mason Mount had been substituted at 0-0 and his was not a debut to savour. Alejandro Garnacho earned a starting spot with his performances in pre-season but, when it mattered, offered reminders he sparkled last season when brought off the bench, not when beginning games. One lob aside, Antony did not impress, even though his opponent, Rayan Ait-Nouri, is a left-back with defensive deficiencies. With injury denying Rasmus Hojlund a debut, Rashford led the line, threatening intermittently but often starved of service, in a performance to indicate why he is actually better coming from the left. Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez was booked for needlessly chopping down Pedro Neto and hauled off at half-time before he could be sent off. That Victor Lindelof replaced him was another slight to Harry Maguire, whose last taste of Old Trafford may be as an unused substitute. But United were less than the sum of their parts. If the statement results this weekend, in different ways, came from Manchester City and Newcastle, they can at least take solace in the fact they are not playing catch-up from the opening weekend. Wolves, meanwhile, may have the bittersweet distinction of producing the best performance among the teams who remain pointless. This was supposed to be an ideal time to play them after a summer of strife. They had done a fine impression of a club in chaos off the pitch, but not on it. O’Neil’s first game came five days after he was parachuted in, six after Lopetegui finally talked his way into unemployment, but the former Bournemouth manager seems a skilled troubleshooter. There was continuity on the pitch, however: all 11 starters were at Molineux last season and the sole newcomer, substitute Matt Doherty, is also a Wolves old boy. A team with technical excellence and considerable physicality missed only the finishing touch. Otherwise, they counterattacked well. Pablo Sarabia shot just wide after Matheus Cunha galloped 50 yards to lead a break. A barnstorming run, followed by an effort Onana saved, was another illustration of what the £44m man can bring Wolves; the problem is that, so far, he has not delivered goals. He drove a shot past the far post. He clipped the upright from four yards, following a delightful flick from Neto. He took his return since the start of last season to two goals in 38 games. Ridiculously, Wolves did not start with any player who scored more than two league goals last year. None opened their account for the season and United could be grateful for their impotence. Read More Gary O’Neil claims referees’ boss told him Wolves should have had penalty O’Neil derides decision to not award Wolves penalty at Man Utd ‘VAR is pathetic’: Stelling and the best reactions to Onana penalty incident Raphael Varane header earns Manchester United opening victory over Wolves Man United vs Wolves LIVE: Premier League result and reaction How Sandro Tonali and his Italian predecessors fared on Premier League debuts

The first week of Premier League action concludes tonight when Manchester United welcome Wolves to Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag has been working hard over the summer to update United’s squad with many fringe players being shipped out. The likes of Phil Jones, Alex Telles and Anthony Elanga have all left the club and not even big names such as David De Gea have survived Ten Hag’s overhaul. In bringing new signings, Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund, to the club the United boss hopes to add depth to his team as he looks to improve on a third place finish from last season. The Red Devils are looking to kick off their campaign with a victory and will be banking on Marcus Rashford replicating his incredible form from last year. Wolves, meanwhile, are in a state of flux. They’re going through something of a rebuild themselves with a couple of key players exiting this summer. Adama Traore is out the door and Ruben Neves has been lured to Saudi Arabia. The midlands club still have a committed group of players though they’ll be hoping Gary O’Neil has the acumen to get the best out of them after the former Bournemouth boss replaced Julen Lopetegui earlier this month. Follow all the action as Manchester United host Wolves in the Premier League: Read More Erik ten Hag raises the bar for success at Man Utd and looks to shed underachievers tag Man United will not ‘rush’ Rasmus Hojlund back to fitness – Erik ten Hag Wolves move quickly to appoint Gary O’Neil following Julen Lopetegui departure

Erik ten Hag will be hoping to improve on Manchester United’s third place finish in the Premier League last season and get the new campaign off to a winning start when his side host Wolverhampton Wanderers tonight. United have been busy this summer with the manager deciding to overhaul the squad ahead of the new season. David De Gea, the last player remaining from Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, has been released with the likes of Fred, Alex Telles, Anthony Elanga and Phil Jones also moved on. FOLLOW LIVE: Teams and all the action as Man United face Wolves The arrivals of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund should bring an extra layer of dynamism and creativity to the team which should in theory help them close the gap on rivals Manchester City. Wolves, meanwhile, are hoping that a change of manager will not hinder their progress. The midlands team comfortably finished 13th last year but key players like Ruben Neves and Adama Traore have left the team. New boss Gary O’Neil kept Bournemouth in the top flight last year and may have a relegation battle on his hands again this term unless Wolves get off to a good start. Get all the latest football betting sites offers here and get the latest Manchester United vs Wolves tips here. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Manchester United vs Wolves? Manchester United vs Wolves is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Monday 14 August at Old Trafford in Manchester. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League with coverage from 6.30pm BST. Subscribers can stream the game via the Sky Go app. Team news Manchester United’s new striker, Rasmus Hojlund, will not feature in their opening match as he fights off a niggling injury while there are doubts over Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo. Andre Onana will make his Premier League debut for the club as goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Dean Henderson are definitely ruled out. Wolves have confirmed that they do not have any injury concerns ahead of the game with defender Matt Doherty primed to start after returning to the club this summer. Predicted line-ups Manchester United XI: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mount, Fernandes; Antony, Rashford, Garnacho. Wolves XI: Sa; Doherty, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Lemina, Joao Gomes; Nunes, Sarabia, Neto; Cunha. Odds Manchester United win 2/9 Draw 4/1 Wolves win 17/2 Prediction Manchester United will open their campaign with a hard-fought for victory against a Wolves side that tend to play well against the Red Devils. Manchester United 2-0 Wolves Read More Sandro Tonali inspires Newcastle to stunning Premier League start in Aston Villa thrashing Sean Dyche hopes Everton are close to solving their goalscoring problems Man United vs Wolves LIVE: Latest Premier League updates How Sandro Tonali and his Italian predecessors fared on Premier League debuts Football rumours: Manchester United weighing up approach for Amadou Onana

Spain face Sweden in the first Women’s World Cup semi-final on Tuesday as both nations go in search of their first tournament crown. Sweden produced their best performance of the World Cup to defeat Japan 2-1 in the quarter-finals, knocking out the team of the tournament with a display of high-tempo pressing while continuing to take their chances at set-pieces. Centre-back Amanda Ilestedt is Sweden’s top-scorer with four goals so far, with the defender in the race for the World Cup golden boot. Spain required Salma Paralluelo’s extra-time goal to defeat Netherlands and have navigated a player mutiny under head coach Jorge Vilda to reach their first ever World Cup semi-final. The winner will play either England or Australia in Sunday’s World Cup final. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Spain vs Sweden? The first World Cup semi-final kicks off at 9am BST on Wednesday 15 August at Eden Park, Auckland. How can I watch it? It will be shown live on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer, with coverage starting from 8:30am. What is the team news? Spain have not started two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas in their last two games, but La Roja did not need the Barcelona star in their victories over Switzerland and the Netherlands. Salma Paralluelo, the match-winner in the quarter-finals, may return to the starting line-up but Vilda may also decide to keep the Barcelona winger as asubstitute. Sweden were unchanged in their win against the USA and coach Peter Gerhardsson confirmed he has a fully fit squad to choose from, with winger Sofia Jakobsson expected to be available after recovering from a cold this week. How did both teams reach the quarter-finals? Spain (runners-up Group C) 3-0 vs Costa Rica 5-0 vs Zambia 0-4 vs Japan 5-1 vs Switzerland 2-1 vs Netherlands (after extra time) Sweden (Winners Group G) 2-1 vs South Africa 5-0 vs Italy 2-0 vs Argentina 0-0 vs United States (Won 5-4 on penalties) 2-1 vs Japan Read More Women’s World Cup LIVE: England news as Lionesses prepare for Australia semi-final Who and when do England play next? Lionesses’ route to the World Cup final How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? England not focused on spoiling Australia’s World Cup party, says Keira Walsh Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?