Emma Sanders
BBC Sport at Stadium Australia

Image source, Getty Images

It is a big night for Australia midfielder Katrina Gorry, who is making her 100th appearance.

She took time away from football during Covid to have a baby and it is her daughter, Harper's, second birthday today.

Reaching a World Cup final would be some way to celebrate it...

Shaimaa Khalil
BBC News, Sydney

Image source, BBC Sport

Waltzing Matilda is blasting on the speakers and the fans I’m surrounded by have all just broken into song. It’s highly emotive and couldn’t be sung by more excited crowd.

Sitting here in the sea of green and gold, it’s easy to forget this is a cricket, AFL and rugby loving nation - the Matildas have converted this nation.

Matilda Mania is not just a catchy headline - it’s the state of the nation now. “I’m positive! The girls have done so well. I know England are a strong team but so are the Matildas," says Sara Valarezo, who’s been waving a huge flag of a yellow kangaroo with red boxing gloves.

"The players have been through so much to get to this moment," says Karen Buckley. "They’ve been through that penalty shootout with France. If we could hold our nerve today we could go all the way.”

Fewer than 20 minutes remain until kick-off.

I'm wearing exactly what I wore for England's quarter-final win. I meant to say earlier, if you're an England fan, and you're able to, try to repeat exactly what you were doing on Saturday morning.

If ever a match called for your lucky socks...

Mark Schwarzer
Former Australia keeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

I'm excited, obviously a little bit nervous of course, it's a World Cup semi final, who wouldnt be?

In the women's game we have never seen anything like this before. There are polls at the moment if this is the most popular Australian national team around at the moment!

What these two teams in particular coming up against each other, Australia and England, have achieved and built in the last few years is incredible.

Fara Williams
Former England midfielder on BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

The Lionesses are used to playing in big stadiums now. The pressure is on Australia, I've been speaking to fans around Sydney and I think there's a lot of pressure for them to change the picture of women's football in the country. We did that in England last year winning the Euros so the pressure is on Australia now.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Australian A-League manager Ante Juric on BBC Radio 5 Live: "They’ve had a few games to [manage their nerves]. I think Australia struggled initially in the first two games with the hype. But I think in that game against Canada they realised they need to use the energy of the crowd.

"It’s a different beast all together with the semi-finals. But I think they’ve handled the last couple of do or die games, which will put them in good stead.

"They’re in good spirits. You can see it and feel it. The vibe is quite good. I’m not sure if [Sam Kerr] will start but I think Caitlin Ford has been our stand out so if she plays well we’ll be close to winning it. Caitlin Foord with [Steph] Catley behind her it’s been immaculate on that side."

Anon: All bases covered here whilst WFH.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Beth Pankhurst

Beth Pankhurst, 26, who comes from a family which have dual British-Australian citizenship, has a less clear-cut choice of which side to support today.

"An occasional friendly between Australia and England is fine, but I don't think we ever expected to be quite in this situation where we had to pick between which side to support," she said.

So could she call it a win-win situation for her?

"Exactly, either way we will be cheering in the car - either because Australia have won and we've never got to this point before or cheering because the Lionesses are well and truly bringing it home."

Newsnight

In case you weren't watching BBC Newsnight yesterday, here's a video, external of actor Brian Blessed delivering an epic rendition of Three Lions to stir the squad into action for their semi-final against Australia.

It's well worth the watch.

Karen Bardsley
Former England and Manchester City goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

It is more about just Millie Bright stopping Sam Kerr. It is about the delivery into her too.

Sarina Wiegman made that point that it is 'not just the Sam Kerr show,' there's Mary Fowler, Caitlin Foord, plenty of players who can cause dangers.

I feel pretty confident that the press and counter press of England will make it really difficult for Australa to get the ball into Sam Kerr both inside and in the channel.

Image source, Kate Grant.

Kate Grant, originally from Surrey, lives in the New South Wales capital and has been backing Sarina Wiegman's side all tournament.

The problem? The rest of her family are diehard Australia supporters.

I do sometimes feel outnumbered, this is the first time really where it has been a dogfight between England and Australia," she said.

So far she has been unable to convince Australian-born husband Steve and son Ed into backing the European champions.

"Anyone who has grown up in Australia knows the team you want to beat is England."

Read more about her story here.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Lucy Bronze's Aunt Julie Tough on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I have the butterflies this morning. Quite nervous. England has been to 3 semi finals before and I’d love to see them get over the line.

"I’m so proud of Lucy and her footballing career. The Bronze’s are a competitive family. The whole family are out in Australia. She knows all the family are behind her. Lucy always competed with her brother at football level. Our family weren’t a football family."

"I’m watching the game at my house and my mum is coming to watch it with me. We are so nervous so we want to sit and glue ourselves to the TV. Lucy’s mum will Facetime us from the stadium."

Pria Rai, BBC Newsbeat

We know Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses down under are ready to go… but what about some actual lionesses back in England?

Anyone who listens to the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show will have heard the animals at Port Lympne Reserve in Kent predicting England’s results during the tournament.

So what does Oudrika, queen of the pack, think is going to happen in the semi-final?

If you believe in psychic lionesses then prepare to be in for a tense one, because she predicts an England win on penalties.

We can tell that Oudrika is definitely roaring to go this morning as she prowls around her enclosure with her cubs.

We’re told they eat on a pretty ad-hoc basis, to keep in line with how it would be in the wild for them. In short, she’s not had breakfast. So it’s probably time to get out of here and settle down ready with England’s Lionesses instead.

Image source, Junior Tykes

As Barnsley-born Beth England prepares for a World Cup semi-final in Australia, one person back home knows better than most how far she has come.

Chris Godfrey was coach of the Junior Tykes under-8 boys' team when the future Lionesses star - one of three girls in the side, including her twin sister Laura - lined up on a South Yorkshire playing field for her first ever match.

They lost 21-0 to a team called Spy Rangers.

"It was a big shock to them, they start the first game and all of the sudden they're six or seven-nil down in the first 15 minutes," Godfrey said.

But the team improved - winning a trophy the next season - and England's talent quickly became clear.

Two years after her inauspicious debut, she was named the under-10s player of the year three times - by her teammates, their parents and the coach.

"She was very special, and obviously she's proved that," says Godfrey, who adds the boys "loved" having the England sisters in their team.

"They were good players. They held their own, they weren't out of the place."

Godfrey says he is "really proud" to see his former player in an England shirt at a World Cup, where she scored a penalty in a shootout with Nigeria in the round of 16.

"Beth loves football and I'm sure she's in her element at this moment in time."

You can read more on Beth England's journey from Junior Tykes to the Lionesses here.

Karen Bardsley
Former England and Manchester City goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

I was in goal for the defeats in the last two world cup semi finals [in 2015 and 2019], and it was really diappointing performances. It just didn't go our way.

But the optimistic thing that this team has taken from those past disappointments is that they have learned every step of the way from adversity.

Whether that is physicality, mentality, building resilience, improving how you work together - they have controlled every single possible thing that they can.

It is a different team now to back then, the expectations are different, and this is the perfect opportunity for England to not only quieten down the whole country of Australia, but to create history.

Jonas Eidevall
Arsenal manager on BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

You saw the game against Colombia and saw something I call game craft. England were doing all of these little things. Making tactical fouls, standing in front of the opponents free-kicks so they can't take them quickly.

This is a really mature English team in how you win football matches. They're pragmatic, they're adaptable and I think that suits them. That's something that has been even further developed since the team that won the Euros last summer.

Image source, Getty Images / Lionesses Twitter

Sarina Wiegman's only defeat to date as England boss came against today's opponents Australia back in April.

The Matildas walked away from the G-Tech Community Stadium that evening with a 0-2 victory, courtesy of goals from captain Sam Kerr and Charlotte Grant.

The kit the Lionesses were wearing during that loss? Their art deco-inspired 'Coast Blue' away kit.

England had previously only donned their signature white home shirt at this summer's World Cup, registering four wins and one draw.

That is until today.

It has been confirmed this morning that the side will be sporting their art deco-inspired 'Coast Blue' away kit for the semi-final.

Australia, another unbeaten record and that art deco-inspired 'Coast Blue' away kit. Is anyone else starting to feel a horrible sense of déjà vu?

Pria Rai, BBC Newsbeat

Checking in from Port Lympne Reserve in Kent. Why? Because this is home to Oudrika, the actual lionesses who has been predicting the England game scores on BBC Radio 1 all tournament.

We’ve also got some potential future lionesses here with us to watch the game soon. So far they’re holding their nerves, which they know a thing or two about as they all play for Ashford United Girls under-16s team.

Molly is predicting a 1-0 win for England with a goal from Alessia Russo. While Kyla reckons 2-0 to the Lionesses with Rachel Daley scoring from a corner, followed by a Russo goal with a Georgia Stanway assist.

Very precise predictions from the girls!