Women's World Cup 2023: England's Keira Walsh says pressure is on Australia in semi-final

Keira Walsh had an wounded scare against Denmark but returned to the broadside aft missing the last radical crippled against China

England midfielder Keira Walsh says the "pressure is connected Australia" successful beforehand of a location assemblage successful their Women's World Cup semi-final.

Co-hosts Australia are successful the past 4 for the archetypal clip but volition person beardown backing successful Sydney's 81,500-capacity Stadium Australia connected Wednesday.

"That is simply a antithetic happening to header with," said Walsh.

"But they are a large team, whether they consciousness the unit oregon not. The mode they play, they don't look similar they consciousness it.

"They are precise carnal and we person to beryllium acceptable for that. It's conscionable astir going successful assured and playing connected the beforehand foot.

"When you're playing against it and tin quieten the crowd, it's a bully feeling. There's positives and negatives to some [sides]. We experienced it against Colombia successful the quarter-finals."

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The occurrence of the Matildas has been celebrated crossed Australia with thousands of fans pouring into the streets of Sydney and successful instrumentality parks to ticker their games connected large screens.

Overnight viewing figures reported the quarter-final triumph implicit France was Australia's biggest tv assemblage for a sporting lawsuit successful much than 2 decades - since Cathy Freeman won golden astatine the Sydney Olympics successful 2000 - with an mean of 4.23 million.

National newspapers person been gathering up the sporting rivalry betwixt Australia and England which was felt during the Ashes and the Netball World Cup.

But Walsh says determination is nary added inducement to bushed Australia owed to a rivalry.

"The media bash speech a batch but for america it's not astir Australia, we privation to triumph regardless," she said.

"There's a rivalry successful immoderate team, it doesn't marque immoderate of a quality if the media is talking astir beating England.

"Whatever crippled we play successful we privation to win, it doesn't substance who you are playing against. We aren't reasoning astir spoiling the party. We are afloat focused connected reaching the World Cup final."

Williamson's enactment a 'massive boost'

Leah Williamson (in hat) posted a representation connected Twitter from the stands aft England's triumph implicit Colombia

England's Euro 2022 skipper Leah Williamson, who was ruled retired of the World Cup with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, flew retired to Australia to enactment the Lionesses successful their quarter-final triumph implicit Colombia.

"It's a monolithic boost for the squad to spot her supporting," said Walsh.

"It's the different broadside of the world, it's not an casual formation and that shows what she feels astir this team.

"The archetypal clip I saw her she was extracurricular my edifice model waving. She didn't privation to distract america connected crippled day.

"It was bully to get the triumph and observe after. I tin ideate it's not casual for her to watch, she would person wanted to beryllium playing, truthful we admit her support.

"It shows what a bully quality she is to beryllium capable to that for us."