It’s a very exciting time as the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be hosted on home soil in only nine months. The Matildas winning the World Cup on their own turf would not only be a great step forwards for Australian women’s football, increasing exposure and awareness, but it would also be a momentous occasion in Australian football history.

Some would argue that the enthusiasm and euphoria of hosting the World Cup for the first time, however, was shortly dimmed by the Matildas’ difficult Group B draw.

MATILDAS' GROUP STAGE WORLD CUP MATCHES

• July 20 - Australia v Ireland – Sydney
• July 27 - Australia v Nigeria – Brisbane
• July 31 - Australia v Canada - Melbourne

The Matildas, who will play Olympic gold medallists Canada, will also need to find a strategy to overcome Nigeria and Ireland, both of which are impressive and improving. Heather Garriock refers to Group B as, "the group of death," citing their most difficult opponent as Canada, the defending Olympic champions who recently defeated the Matildas in back-to-back practice games. Despite the Matildas' strong position, Canada will be the group's highest rated team, ranked seventh in the world. Considering these obstacles, we have trust in our Tillies to give a solid performance in front of their supporters on a home stage.

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As we know, Canada is the Olympic Champion and has talent all over the field. Their strategy is to be one of the most difficult teams to score against. Their transition from defence is strong and successful because they are tenacious. They scored two transitional goals against the Matildas the last time they met and are comprised of elite players with vast game knowledge. Christine Sinclair (striker at Portland Thorns FC), Kailen Sheridan (goalkeeper at San Diego Wave), Jessie Fleming (midfielder at Chelsea), and Adriana Leon (winger at Manchester United), to name a few, continue to be standouts, providing challenges to the Matildas from a variety of positions on the pitch. Despite Canada’s September victories over Australia in Brisbane and Sydney, the Matildas were troubled by an understrength squad. Although Canada will know what to expect in terms of weather, toughness, and competitiveness, the Matildas do as well. With their experience and a full-strength squad, the Matildas will be ready to put any worries to rest when they return to battle on July 31 in their toughest, yet most thrilling match up.

Despite making their World Cup debut, the Republic of Ireland is the Matildas’ next biggest danger in the group. They qualified for the 2023 World Cup after defeating Scotland 1-0 at Hampden Park in Glasgow on a night of “drama” in the European play-offs. “The girls in green” are one of five debutants in the expanded 32-team tournament, joining Morocco, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Zambia, and will make their maiden participation in a major competition on the 50^th anniversary of Ireland’s women’s football association. Katie McCabe, who plays at Arsenal with Matildas, Steph Catley, and Caitlin Foord, is one of their most dangerous threats. As one of the tournament’s five debutants, it will be intriguing to see if their players can step up and deliver. In their physicality and effective set plays, the squad has proven to be well organised and well-fit candidates for the battle. Vera Pauw, who formerly coached the national teams of Scotland, Russia, and South Africa, has been coaching Ireland since her appointment in 2019. Ireland is ranked 24^th in the globe and will make their tournament debut against the Matildas on July 20 in Sydney. Last year, they defeated the Matildas 3-2 in Dublin, which was a great turning point for Ireland. The Matildas, on the other hand, are focused on preparation because they know that the next time these two teams meet, they must defeat the girls in green.

Although Nigeria may be considered Matildas’ final opponent, they are not forgotten. The team’s speed and power are undeniably outstanding, and Gustavsson will have to take this into account. The Matildas’ defence must keep a watch out for their speed and technical abilities throughout transition moments. Barcelona striker, Asisat Oshoala is their best player, having won African Women’s Footballer of the Year five times in a succession. The team also has several youthful players who will work together to challenge the Tillies’ defence with rapid movement and quick passing.

Regardless of the difficult world-class opponents that the Matildas will certainly face, we know that the Matildas place a great importance on hosting the World Cup on home soil and will not waste this opportunity. It’s amazing to see how much interest and inspiration this tournament has sparked towards women’s sports throughout the country, and how excited girls across Australia are to witness Sam Kerr head a goal into the top corner. Despite the challenging group, supporters have complete faith in the wonderful Tillies to fight hard and remain confident, relentless, and proud on the pitch. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these athletes will be felt across the stadiums and loungerooms of all Australia.