Sweden vs Australia FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Highlights | Sweden secure the third-place comfortably with a 2-0 victory over the Matildas

Suncorp Stadium hosted Sweden vs Australia third-place match of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. Fridolina Rolfo scored one and set up the other as Sweden secured third place with a deserved 2-0 win over the Matildas. The victory was sealed by Kosovare Asllani's superb second-half strike. It also provides a sad end to a memorable campaign for the Matildas, who had been hoping to enhance their best-ever performance at the global finals and finish on a high in Brisbane. Australia didn't look at their best in the match and Sweden capitalise on the advantages. The Scandinavians dominated the game completely and they were the best to register the bronze medal for the fourth time.

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"It's a difficult moment to find the right words right now. We're hurt, we wanted to bring a medal for this team, these fans, and this nation. It's now the second tournament that we played for a medal and missed out. Maybe we won something bigger than a medal though. It's difficult now but when we distance ourselves I think we won something bigger than a medal."

- Tony Gustavsson, Australia coach

Match Details

• Match: Sweden vs Australia Third place match
• Kickoff time & Date: 19/08/2023 | 1:30 P.M. (IST)
• Venue: Suncorp Stadium
• Where to watch: Fancode (India) and DD Sports

FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Sweden vs Australia Live Blog

Lineups

• No changes for Sweden from their Spain clash.
• Sweden: Zecira Musovic (GK), Jonna Andersson, Magdalena Eriksson, Kosovare Asllani (C), Stina Blackstenius, Amanda Ilestedt, Nathalie Bjorn, Filippa Angeldal, Fridolona Rolfo, Johanna Kaneryd, Elin Rubensson.

Mot VM-bronset – TILLSAMMANS 💛💙#SWE | #FIFAWWC

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) August 19, 2023

• No changes for the Matildas also.
• Australia: Mackenzie Arnold (GK), Clare Polkinghorne, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Clare Hunt, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry, Sam Kerr (C), Ellie Carpenter, Kyra Cooney-Cross.

📋 Bronze Medal Match ready ✅

Our last lineup of this unforgettable #FIFAWWC is IN.#Matildas #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/gwHRpm23PP

— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 19, 2023

Get ready for the Bronze Medal match

For the final time this #FIFAWWC... presenting your #Matildas Starting XI 🍓😘#TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/pAr7XPZAFu

— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 19, 2023

FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Sweden vs Australia Live Blog | 1'

Kick-off! The battle for bronze is underway.

3': Blackstenius is in behind, but she's too wide to go alone and her cross is too hot for Rolfö.

9': Sweden are being brave in possession, looking to keep the ball moving quickly with one-touch-angled passes.

13': Australia look miles off the pace.

17': Sweden's weight of numbers in midfield allows them to extract the ball from a tight area and switch play to open the field.

21': The Matildas are starting to gain a foothold after a slow start.

26': Rolfö with a forceful near-post header but the ball went off the bar.

Sweden vs Australia Live Blog | Goalllll!!!... for Sweden | 30'

Fridolina Rolfö sidefoots a left-footed effort low into the right corner just out of reach of the diving Arnold.

34': Kerr again gets separation from her marker, and lays the ball back to Foord who finds Catley on the left. Her cross is met by the onrushing Gorry but her header from miles out is wayward.

36': Eriksson is receiving treatment after wearing the back of Kerr's head to her face while climbing over the back of her Chelsea teammate to win a header.

39': Sweden are in full control.

43': Rolfö on the counter, making a hash of a right-footed curler from the box with plenty of time to attack the retreating and shorthanded Australian defence.

45+4': Australia remain outgunned in the midfield.

FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Sweden (1) vs Australia (0) Live Blog | Half time

46': No substitutes from either coach.

47': Sweden immediately on the front foot.

49': Carpenter digs out a cross from the right that's in the direction of Kerr but a fraction too high.

52': It's all been a bit frenetic since the break, with lots of contested headers, misplaced passes, and long balls.

57': Australia fail to play their way out of defence with Rolfö too strong one-on-one for Carpenter. 

Sweden vs Australia Live Blog | 2nd Goalllll!!!... for Sweden | 63'

Blackstenius finds space as the counterattack comes at pace. From inside the penalty area, the ball is played back to Asllani who fires into the net from the box low to Arnold's left. Super finish.

66': Rolfö feeds Blackstenius in behind only for Arnold to stand up bravely one-on-one. The offside flag went up.

68': Australia have struggled and the game now risks getting away from them.

75': Alex Chidiac is coming on for Australia.

77': Kerr is back on her feet and walking gingerly to the sideline.

81': Australia are looking confused and out of ideas. They are pinned in their defensive left corner.

84': Sweden look more likely to add a third than Australia a consolation.

88': Rubensson is booked for leaving a foot-in on Chidiac.

90': Six minutes of added time to play.

90+4': Chidiac is again fouled, this time by Hurtig, and the Sweden veteran is booked for kicking the ball away.

FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Sweden (2) vs Australia (0) Live Blog | Full time

Sweden end the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 with the bronze medal. The hosts looked tired during the game and Sweden comfortably and deservedly won the match.