England to host Socceroos, Matildas friendlies in London

England and Australia have locked in an settlement that can see the Matildas and Socceroos head to London for pleasant conferences in April and October, respectively.

The Matildas will journey to the capital to proceed their preparations for the 2023 Women’s World Cup with a fixture towards the Lionesses on April 11 at Brentford Community Stadium, whereas the Socceroos will head to Wembley Stadium on October 13.

For Australia’s ladies, it should mark the primary assembly with their English counterparts since a 1-1 draw in 2018 and represents one of many ultimate and maybe most important tune-up fixtures for Tony Gustavsson’s facet forward of this July’s dwelling World Cup.

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England are thought of certainly one of that event’s favourites below coach Sarina Wiegman and looms as a probable Round of 16 opponent ought to the Matildas fail to prime their group.

Though they’ve confronted off seven occasions beforehand, most lately a 2016 pleasant in Sunderland in which the hosts gained 2-1, Australia’s males’s conflict with England later this yr will symbolize the primary time they’ve ever met on the dwelling of soccer in London.

The Socceroos famously defeated England in 2003, once they secured a shocking 3-1 upset at Upton Park thanks to targets from Tony Popovic, Harry Kewell, and Brett Emerton. Sven-Goran Eriksson in the English dugout, the English facet downed that night time counted Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen, and David Beckham amongst their starters.

Loaded with gamers plying their commerce throughout Europe’s prime leagues, that facet would subsequently break Australia’s 32-year World Cup drought by qualifying for Germany 2006.

Current coach Graham Arnold serving as an assistant to Frank Farina that day, it stays the one time Australia’s males have tasted victory over the Three Lions, with the European powers main the general report with 4 wins and two attracts.

“That night brings back some amazing memories for Australian football and football fans,” Arnold mentioned. “While we had a very talented Australian team, we were taking on an England outfit stacked with superstars, and the result made the players believe that they could take on anyone and qualify for the World Cup in 2006. It is a memory the boys will never forget.”

Whereas the connection could also be tenuous, the Matildas might be hoping {that a} optimistic consequence towards England can likewise bode effectively for his or her World Cup marketing campaign — the competition yet one more check towards prime European opposition that has been prioritised by Gustavsson since his ascension.

Though dangerous outcomes and generally worse performances in the beginning of his tenure towards this calibre of opponent threatened his job safety, latest wins over a Sweden facet ranked second in the world and a rising Spanish outfit has fostered a way of momentum across the workforce heading into the World Cup.

“We are delighted to have secured a high calibre side in the Women’s Euro Champions, England, as part of the final phase of our preparations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” Gustavsson mentioned.

“As one of the best teams in the world, it’s a chance for us to continue to gather crucial information on our style, our play and what we will need to continue evolving ahead of July’s kick-off.”

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According to Football Australia CEO James Johnson, the technique of securing high-profile and high-powered opponents for the Matildas might be ported over to the boys’s program for the 2026 World Cup cycle.

The nation’s expectations raised after the Socceroos’ shock run to the Round of 16 in Qatar and the re-emergence of Australians throughout European leagues, the facet will play a yet-to-be-announced opponent at dwelling in the course of the males’s March window as preparations start for an Asian Cup doubtless to be delayed till January 2024.

“Over the last two years, Football Australia has been dedicated to creating the right environment for national team success,” mentioned Johnson. “This means replicating tournament football by playing higher-ranked opponents on a more regular basis to ensure the best preparation and that our teams are peaking come tournament time.

“For the Matildas, this has seen us taking part in towards extra prime 10 ranked nations plus European and South American opponents. We might be replicating that technique for the Socceroos in the upcoming FIFA World Cup cycle.

“These two international matches in the same calendar year mark an important moment for Australian football, especially since there is a re-emergence of Australian footballers playing for clubs in the United Kingdom.

“Australian soccer is slowly re-establishing itself in English and European soccer once more which is enjoyable to see. The reality we now have been in a position to safe this double fixture towards England at a time when they’re two of the perfect groups in world soccer is an indication of the drawing energy of our nationwide groups.”