2023 Women's World Cup - Australia & New Zealand

Kinda sucks watching Japan bowing out the way the way they did. 2 at the posts may have goals on another day. Congrats to Sweden for holding them the rest of the game tho. Spain looking really strong in this one. Paralluelo is an amazing player. Still a teen and making a big impact in this tournament.

Yeah Japan were my pick. They looked impervious coming into this game. Sweden were probably the one team they would rather have not faced though. They pressed Japan, pinned them in and then forced them into giving up set pieces, which where they could use their size to score, which they did. It's a pretty predictable game plan and I'm really taken aback Futoshi Ikeda wasn't prepared for it.....or maybe he was and Sweden were just that good at executing it. Either way, Japan suffered from that Swedish pressure rather than soaked it up like they did against Spain.

So now I need Sweden to beat Spain because Jorge Vilda and RFEF don't deserve to win this tournament based on how they've treated those players, who actually do deserve to win it.

I’ve been watching the tournament. I’m hoping the Lionesses can go all the way.

England honestly haven't looked all that convincing to me outside of the thumping they gave China in the group stages. They've done just enough to advance at each stage and when asked for a little more, they've found it. They're going to need a whole other gear against this Australian side.

Hayley Raso has had a great tournament, Mary Fowler is always dangerous, especially if she can get her finishing going. There's Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord as well and Mackenzie Donald is a wall in goal. Then there's always Sam Kerr, who did play 90 minutes against France so she might actually be ready for a start. They've proved they can hold their nerve as well when it comes to penalties as have England.

With Lauren James, I'd give England a slight edge. Without her, with a now fit Sam Kerr, and with home advantage, I think the Aussies have it now.

Impressive win from England. This is the first game in the tournament where they actually looked and played like European Champions. Their composure was excellent, even when the Aussies equalized through a great Sam Kerr goal. They forced Australia into making bad mistakes and capitalized on them ruthlessly.

It's going to be an interesting final against Spain. It's not the final I wanted, but for previously stated reasons, I'm pulling for England in this one.

Spain also won the Women's U-17 and U-20 World Cups last year.

With USA entering a rebuilding period, Spain are entering a dominant period right now. This is very much their Golden Age.

Thinking a lot about Las 15 right now, particularly the 12 who didn't travel to this tournament. Tons of mixed feelings, I imagine.

Frankly, Vilda has to go. He was a non factor all tournament. This team knew exactly what they needed to do and they've done it pretty much every game successfully, except against Japan. They haven't needed him at all and have clearly won this tournament in spite of his presence. That said, Luis Rubiales, who himself has legal issues related to how he treats women, has no intention of letting Vilda go so the next best thing is for Vilda to be "promoted" to coach a men's side. These players deserve a coach that won't force them to keep their doors unlocked at all times of the day and night.

As for England, there wasn't much they could do today against such an aggressive press, great possession and incisive passing. Keira Walsh had a poor game, but she was also up against Aitana Bonmati, her teammate at Barca and also the best player in this tournament. Lauren Hemp looked super bright, but Chloe Kelly wasn't at the races and I think Lucy Bronze looked the poorest of all the outfield England players. It just wasn't a good day for the English Barca players and this needed to be their best day. I don't think Sarina Wiegman should've taken off Rachel Daly at half time a well. She's the best coach in the women's game right now, but that's a super questionable decision.

Ultimately, the Japanese showed everyone how to beat Spain, but they had to change their entire approach to the game to do it. No one else Spain has faced was willing to do that and that's why they all lost.

That was a shame we lost in the final. But our midfield seemed to struggle to break through Spain's aggresive pressing. Spain seemed in complete control of that first half. We looked better in the second half, but the Spain defence was just too strong. I think we should have made changes sooner in the match. Lucy Bronze didn't play anything like how she had in the previous games of this tournament. She looked really poor in that match. Walsh and Russo seemed to really struggle in that match too.

Still, congrats to Spain on their win! They deserved it after how well they played in that final.