A superb display ensured the Lionesses reached their first ever World Cup final – dumping the old enemy and host nation Australia out of the tournament in the process. Goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo gave England a 3-1 win over the Matildas in Sydney on Wednesday. Thousands of fans across the UK took time off work to watch the game – with many singing, dancing and slamming tables at fan parks. England cricket fans took great delight in the Lionesses getting one over the Aussies, with the Barmy Army tweeting: “Oh bye bye Aussies, bye bye” towards the end of the game. Fans at BoxPark Croydon had a few nervy minutes after Sam Kerr’s stunning strike levelled the tie in the second-half. But there were jubilant scenes as the final whistle blew and many fans embracing each other ahead of the final against Spain on Sunday. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

England reach the game’s grandest stage, having fittingly reached their greatest level so far. Such was the professionally commanding nature of this 3-1 semi-final win over hosts Australia that they somehow made this moment of glorious football history feel like it was always coming. They have just got better and better as this World Cup has gone on, as symbolised by all of Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo coming to form with goals, and as crowned now with a place in the final itself. It was celebrated, of course, with a delirious rendition of Sweet Caroline in the centre circle. They looked a level above a gutsy Australia who ran out of momentum and fortune. And yet it couldn’t quite be said it was a formality, not with Sam Kerr on the pitch. Even within that and the greater story of this England side, there was still drama and subplots. Kerr had finally arrived at this World Cup with a second-half goal of true brilliance, and the only time that England suffered any kind of doubt, only to fail to keep Australia in it with a jaw-dropping late miss at 2-1. That’s what it came down to, but only in terms of the details of the game rather than the pattern of the play. It still felt like England could go again, which is why they are ultimately going further and possibly all the way. A brilliant Spain await at this same Stadium Australia, but this is now an England with all of their players coming to form at the right. Sarina Wiegman, who has got virtually every call at this World Cup correct in hugely trying circumstances, now has her biggest decision to make. Does she bring back Lauren James after a two-match ban? That, in its own way, is an uplifting discussion to be able to have. This performance suggests she might have to keep the same team. It just worked, right from the start. England played their way through Australia in convincing fashion, right from the off. The opening goal was certainly coming, even if few would have said it was coming from Toone. The Manchester United attacker has not been at her best in this World Cup, which made the emphatic nature of the goal all the more impressive. That was not the strike of a player struggling for form or confidence. It is one of a player who excels in latter stages, as illustrated by the fact she has become the first England player in men’s or women’s football to score in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of a major tournament. This was the pick of them. After fine work from Alessia Russo on the byline, the ball was cut back only for Lauren Hemp to just miss it. So, Toone went through it. Perfectly set up for a first-time strike, the midfielder drove a swerving ball right into the top corner with a release that was as divine as it was devastating. Mackenzie Arnold could only stand there. Moving would have been pointless, in any case. Australia had not really got going. It didn’t help that Kerr couldn’t really get moving. This was partly down to a hugely cynical approach from England, as they rotated challenges and fouls. A stricter referee might have given Alex Greenwood more than a booking for one industrial early intervention that let everyone know what this was going to be about. She clearly kept that in mind. Kerr began to hurt England in very different ways, and in a manner that meant no one could get close enough to even try and foul her. It was like the playmaker was saving herself for when she was most needed. Australia had come out with more impetus in the second half but it still looked like they were going to need something different to open England. Kerr’s moment went beyond that. Surging through the half, and with Millie Bright backing off as she waited to try and challenge, the forward just let fly. The ball did take a touch off the defender’s flailing leg, but such was the quality of the effort that it only helped it soar over Mary Earps. It was the centrepiece of Australia’s best period, when Kerr looked like she was going to make this World Cup her own in the way that might have happened without injury. She had England’s defence tetchy and tense, especially with one jinking run through that could have brought a penalty. England had to get back into it, and did so by getting right back to basics. Bright, who should have scored a header shortly before Kerr’s goal, spotted a run from Hemp on launched it forward. Ellie Carpenter struggled with the bounce and was punished for it. Hemp got in front to put the ball into the corner. That was the goal that set England on the way the final. This was now Australia’s whole World Cup. They had to throw everything at it. It came down to inches. First, Jess Carter displayed supremely quick thinking to get enough on an Earps parry and prevent Courtnee Vine’s shot forcing the equaliser. It was so slight, but meant the world. There was still more. In Australia’s last grand attack, a corner dropped just yards out, to the player they would want there above any other. Kerr instead put it over the bar. It was a bad miss, especially for someone of her quality. Would it have happened if she was on full fitness? It almost feels unfair to ruminate on. It’s also immaterial, something made certain by Russo’s brilliant finish. With Australia just having to go with it, there was inevitably space in behind, which Hemp again exploited. Russo then excelled. That is a word that can be used to describe this England as a whole, as they are now one game away from becoming world champions as well as European champions. Australia, of course, were still cheered off by their proud home crowd after the final whistle. It is England that were singing, though, and look like they can go further again. They've already made history. They now just have to make themselves world champions. Read More Australia vs England LIVE: Women’s World Cup result and reaction as brilliant Lionesses reach final Will Lauren James play in the Women’s World Cup final? Ella Toone celebration explained after World Cup semi-final goal Who are the BBC World Cup commentators? Full list of pundits

Lauren Hemp’s second-half strike helped fire England into their first World Cup final as the Lionesses sealed a 3-1 victory over co-hosts Australia in front of a sold-out crowd in Sydney. Ella Toone, who replaced the suspended Lauren James for England’s quarter-final win over Colombia, netted 36 minutes into her second start of the tournament in front of a crowd of 75,784. Australia captain Sam Kerr, making her first start of competition, equalised for the first-time semi-finalists with a stunning individual goal after the break before Hemp put England back out in front. Alessia Russo added another late in the second half to cap off the historic encounter and set up an all-European final showdown against Spain on Sunday night in Sydney. England are now one win away from lifting two major trophies in just under 13 months after their triumph at last summer’s European Championships, while Australia will play Sweden for third place in Brisbane on Saturday. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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?

Midfielder Romeo Lavia will undergo a medical on Wednesday ahead of his move to Chelsea, while Hakim Ziyech is close to exiting Stamford Bridge. The Blues agreed an initial £53million fee to sign Lavia from Southampton on Tuesday, which could rise to £58m in add-ons, the PA news agency understands. Lavia is now in London to go through his medical tests but Ziyech will be the latest player to go through the exit door at Chelsea after an agreement in principle was reached with Galatasaray for his transfer. It has been a whirlwind few days for Mauricio Pochettino’s team, with the British record capture of Moises Caicedo from Brighton completed on Monday. Caicedo’s transfer could eventually total £115m and a day later the Blues closed in on the signings of Lavia and Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise. After Lavia made it known to Southampton on Monday that he favoured a move to west London, Chelsea and the recently-relegated Saints reached an agreement for his transfer on Tuesday night. Lavia will sign for an initial £53m with Southampton able to receive a further £5m in add-ons. The spending under owner Todd Boehly shows no sign of slowing down though, with Olise’s £35m release clause activated on Tuesday, PA understands. It allows Chelsea to now negotiate personal terms with the highly-rated Crystal Palace winger. Olise is currently out injured with a hamstring issue and his current club Palace are reported to be unhappy with Chelsea’s conduct during their pursuit of the France Under-21 international. PA understands Chelsea are comfortable they have done nothing untoward and Olise is expected to finalise his move this week. Ziyech should leave after Chelsea and Galatasaray reached an agreement for his transfer on Wednesday, but the Morocco forward still has a medical to complete after moves to Paris St Germain and Al Nassr collapsed earlier this year. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Chelsea are set to take their spending under Todd Boehly to a whopping £1billion if they can get deals for Romeo Lavia and Michael Olise over the line. The American has splashed the cash since taking over at Stamford Bridge, backing Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino heavily in the transfer market. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the biggest deals. Moses Caicedo (£115million) The Blues beat off competition from Liverpool for the signature of the highly-rated Brighton midfielder, who is the third most expensive under-21 player in the world behind Kylian Mbappe and Joao Felix. They paid £100m up front, but that could rise to £115m depending on certain criteria. Enzo Fernandez (£106.8m) Chelsea smashed the British transfer record when they signed the World Cup winner from Benfica in the January transfer window for an outright £106m, surpassing Jack Grealish’s fee for his move from Aston Villa to Manchester City. Mykhailo Mudryk (£88.5m) The Ukraine star cost £62million up front when he joined from Shakhtar Donetsk in January, but that fee could rise to £88.5m with possible add-ons. Wesley Fofana (£75m) Chelsea were after defensive reinforcements when they signed Wesley Fofana from Leicester. The France international cost £70million, with a possible further £5m to be paid to the Foxes in add-ons. Marc Cucurella (£63m) Chelsea have looked to Brighton on a number of occasions and, a few months before Graham Potter made the move from the Amex, the Blues signed left-back Cucurella for £56m, with a further £7m due in extras. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Romeo Lavia to have Chelsea medical as Hakim Ziyech nears Stamford Bridge exit Alex Cuthbert and Johnny Williams handed Wales starts against South Africa Ben Stokes comes out of ODI retirement ahead of World Cup bid

Harry Maguire’s £30 million move to West Ham is off, with the England defender now likely to stay at Manchester United. The two clubs had agreed a fee for the centre back, who had been stripped of the Man United captaincy this summer. But Maguire would have had to take a substantial cut in his wages to leave Old Trafford, with his Man United salary going up this summer after Erik ten Hag’s team qualified for the Champions League, and no pay-off was agreed. Ten Hag has always said that he regards Maguire as a valuable member of his squad and wanted the former Leicester, Hull and Sheffield United player to stay and fight for his place. He was on the bench for Monday’s 1-0 win over Wolves, though Ten Hag brought on Victor Lindelof ahead of him. Man United were also concerned that Maguire’s departure this late in the window would not have given them much time to find a replacement, though Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard would have been one contender. West Ham, who have signed midfielders Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse with the proceeds of Declan Rice’s £105million sale to Arsenal, are now expected to switch their attention to other defensive targets. The former Man United midfielder Jesse Lingard, who had a successful loan spell under David Moyes in 2021/22, is also training with West Ham and available on a free transfer after leaving Nottingham Forest. Read More Football rumours: Crystal Palace unhappy with Chelsea over bid for Michael Olise Harry Maguire looking set to remain with Manchester United Harry Maguire’s move to West Ham in doubt

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

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, with a place against Spain in Sunday’s final up for grabs. 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 look to make history of their own. England have overcome several challenges to reach the semi-finals now faced with their biggest yet as they take on a near-80,000 capacity crowd at Stadium Australia. Follow LIVE: England face Australia in World Cup semi-final clash Tensions are set to be high as the Lionesses face the Matildas, although players from both sides played down the traditional rivalry that is played out across sports like cricket and netball. I wouldn’t say this is a major rivalry in football,” England midfielder Keira Walsh argued ahead of the match. “They are a great team and it is a semi-final. Whoever you’re playing it is going to be an intense game. So for us that is one of the last things we’re thinking of.” Who is the referee for England vs Australia? England’s semi-final with Australia will be refereed by American Tori Penso, who is one of the leading officials in the game. Penso regularly takes charge of Major League Soccer matches in the United States after becoming the first woman to referee in the US top-flight in 20 years when she officiated a game between D.C. United and Nashville in September 2020. The World Cup semi-final will be Penso’s fourth match of the tournament. Penso, who has been a Fifa-rated referee since 2021, took charge of Germany’s 6-0 win over Morocco and Switzerland’s 0-0 draw with New Zealand in the group stages, as well as France’s 4-0 win against Morocco in the last-16. Penso only gave out two yellow cards across her first three games at the tournament. 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. Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today England and Australia’s old rivalry on a new stage for World Cup semi-final Who and when do England play next? Lionesses’ route to the World Cup final

Watch live as supporters arrive at Stadium Australia for the Women’s World Cup semi-final between Australia and England. A place in the showpiece final is up for grabs, in what could be one of the biggest football matches of the year so far. For Australia, they will hope star striker Sam Kerr will be fit enough to feature from the start. She picked up an injury ahead of the tournament and has been limited to appearing as a substitute so far. England boss Sarina Wiegman, though, believes simply nullifying the threat posed by Kerr will not be enough to see the Lionesses through to a first-ever World Cup final. The Australia captain is her country’s leading goal-scorer of either gender but has not yet started a match in the global showpiece after injuring her calf. European champions England take on the Matildas at 11am BST in Sydney, where the majority of the 75,000 in attendance will be backing the co-hosts. Read More ‘Mystic meerkats’ predict winner of England vs Australia World Cup semi-final England forward Rachel Daly among six World Cup stars shortlisted for PFA award England vs Australia: Key stats ahead of crunch World Cup semi-final

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

Referee-turned-pundit Mike Dean says he will not have any issue in telling former colleague Simon Hooper how badly he got things wrong by not giving Wolves a penalty in their defeat at Manchester United on Monday. Hooper and VAR officials Michael Salisbury and Richard West have been stood down for this weekend by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) boss Howard Webb after they collectively failed to award Gary O’Neil’s side what looked like a blatant spot-kick in added time of the 1-0 loss at Old Trafford. Dean quit his role as a dedicated VAR and coach of up and coming officials in the summer in order to move into a role as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday. And the 55-year-old, who made his debut on the show last week, has warned his former colleagues that he “won’t be sitting on the fence” when it comes to discussing controversial decisions. “I’ve had a chat with a few of the referees and made it clear that if they make a bad decision, I won’t be sitting on the fence or defending the indefensible and they were OK with that,” he told the PA news agency. “I want to be able to do the job properly and give proper insight. “Equally, I’ll be happy to highlight good decisions as it will be good to give refs some credit.” Dean was an on-field referee for 27 years – 22 of those in the Premier League – and was undoubtedly one of the biggest characters in the game, with his antics and exaggerated facial expressions prime content for online memes. His final year for the PGMOL was spent at Stockley Park as a dedicated VAR and he admits he did not get the same satisfaction. “For me refereeing was the best job in the world, and I felt lucky to be able to be paid for basically doing my hobby,” he said. “But after 27 years of refereeing, and 22 in the Premier League, I felt like I had done my time and wanted to start the next chapter of my life. “It didn’t take long for me to realise that being on VAR wasn’t for me. Having to travel down to London to then be stuck in a room, telling on-field referees whether their decisions were right or wrong didn’t give me the same enjoyment. “I spoke to Howard about this and luckily he supported me in my move away from the role. “I only ever tried to be the best referee I could be. I don’t shy away from the fact I did the job in a different way to some others, but this just came from my enjoyment of it. “I loved my career, seeing Premier League football every weekend from the best seat in the house. I got to referee some amazing games like Man City against QPR when they won the league in the last minute, and make some great mates.” Webb has had a tough induction to the top job at the PGMOL since taking over from Mike Riley in December but has been committed to making his officials accountable for their errors and also improved communication. Dean insists the former World Cup final official is the “best man for the job”. He added: “I have no doubt that Howard is the best man for the job, he has a real presence and is respected in the game. It didn’t take long for me to realise that being on VAR wasn’t for me Mike Dean “He’ll be in contact with Premier League managers this year and will have no problems being up front and honest with them – this communication should only help this season. “Premier League football and decisions in big games will always get attention, and it is the nature of being a referee that you will get criticised when you make mistakes just like players. “The difference for referees is that you will rarely get called out for refereeing a game well, or making good decisions. That’s why I’m not a fan of the idea of refs being interviewed after games, as they’d only want to be spoken to when they’ve made an error.” :: Mike Dean has a new role as the face of the Family & Friends Railcard. Research from Railcard.co.uk reveals that fans opting to travel by train to football matches can save over £50 per adult and child just by using the Family & Friends Railcard. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England forward Rachel Daly among six World Cup stars shortlisted for PFA award Football rumours: Crystal Palace unhappy with Chelsea over bid for Michael Olise On this day 2009: Usain Bolt breaks WR for World Championship 100m gold in 9.58