Jill Scott joins the party as England heroes celebrate reaching World Cup final
England fans were partying like it was 1966 in Sydney after the Lionesses beat Australia in their own backyard to reach the World Cup final, writes Hollie Bone and Jeremy Armstrong in Sydney.
Sarina Wiegman's side triumphed 3-1 to set up Sunday's showdown against Spain. Goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo sealed their place in history and silenced around 70,000 Aussies in the 75,784 crowd.
There were scenes of jubilation on the final whistle when Rachel Daly jumped into the arms of England legend Jill Scott, who was commentating on the match at the side of the pitch. England captain Millie Bright raised manager Sarina aloft as the players jigged and sang to a standing ovation from their families and fans.
Bright, who turns 30 on Monday, waved at her mum Nicola and dad Steven, part of an impressive contingent of Lioness loved ones who travelled half way around the world to cheer them on.
Teaching assistant Nicola, of Sheffield, S. Yorks, said: "We have a big family group here, Millie's two sisters, my three grandsons have all come across. You feel pride every day because they are your kids.
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"It will not be until after the tournament that you get the chance to reflect on what they have achieved." Sarina admitted that it felt like a 'fairytale' as the Lionesses went through to their second major final in two years following their Euro 2022 triumph.
It is our first senior World Cup final since 1966, and a chance to end 57 years of hurt come Sunday, with millions set to tune back home in for another early morning kick off.
Sarina said: " I cannot describe how proud I am of the team, how we came through and found a way to win. We are celebrating now and then tomorrow morning we start again."
Lioness legend Jill Scott was pitchside as England beat AustraliaAsked how it feels to reach the first senior final in 57 years, she said: "It feels really good to be in the final and I am the lucky one. I have been for the past two tournaments, but you don't take anything for granted.
"It is so hard to reach a final, many teams who were really good who were knocked out. I know it is really special and that is how it feels too."
Goalscorer and Player of the Match Lauren, 23, paid tribute to Alessia for sealing the victory, adding: "What a feeling. I am tired now but we will go again on Sunday. A World Cup final, it is every player's dream."
Sarina said that when Alessia Russo's third goal went in, she knew that 'we were not going to give this away." In the stands, the loyal band of Lioness fans promised to dance until dawn.
QPR fan Julian Pottle, an auctioneer who moved to Sydney from London 20 years ago, was with his wife Helen, from Leeds, and son Charlie, 16, and 12-year-old Summer, all in fancy dress.
"We don't have tickets for the final but we need to get them now," said Julian. "They asked my daughter to wear an Australia shirt to school but she wanted to wear her England one!"
Helen joked: "We kept on singing when the Aussie fans fell silent. It was some night."
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England will face Spain on Sunday to clinch a first ever Women's World Cup (Andy Stenning)Imogen Davidson, an accountant who travelled to the game from Manchester with children Phoebe, 16, who plays for Macclesfield FC, and Phoebe, 19, said: "They were incredible, I cannot believe that we are going to see England in a World Cup final.
"It was a great atmosphere and the Aussie fans have been saying well done to us, which is typical of the women's game. We are so proud of them." They came, they saw, they conga'd outside as TV crews from around the world lined up to interview our fans.
Stuart Fox, 38, a project manager originally from London but now living in Sydney, said: "It was a beautiful first goal. Top bins to England. I have been out here for 18 years but there was no chance of supporting Australia!"
His friend Antony Pinshaw, 36, a Matildas fan, added: "This tournament has been amazing for Australia. But England dominated and they could not get going."
Aussie manager Tony Gustavsson congratulated England on their performance. "It was a fantastic game of football," he said. “We were playing a world class team in England with a world class coach in Sarina. This needs to be the start of something for Australia and the women's game, not the end."
England's 'superfans' spoke of their pride as they reflected on the footy trip of a lifetime in Oz. Over the past month, there have been trips to the Great Barrier Reef, sightseeing at Sydney Opera House, encounters with kangaroos and Koala bears and scuba diving with amazing marine life.
Sarah Breckon, 55, travelling with her dad Alan Breckon, 77, has taken in a helicopter ride and scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef while following the Lionesses.
"We've been here since August 1 and have tickets for the final," said Sarah, a keen walking footballer back home in Taunton, Somerset. "We've been to Melbourne, Cairns, Brisbane, and Sydney; we were surrounded by Aussie fans in an Irish sports bar in Brisbane watching the Aussies' quarter final against France.
England's jubilant fans celebrate the Lionesses' historic victory"It has been an amazing holiday, the World Cup was the first reason for coming, we wanted to make the most of it." Her partner and fellow painter and decorator Julia Tibbs, 54, part of the same walking football team, added: "The colours of the Great Barrier Reef were amazing. There were massive fish which are nicknamed 'Wally' (Maori Wrasse) which we saw when we snorkelled.
"Life changed for me five years ago and I promised myself that I was going to seize every day, to live life to the full. This has been a big part of that."
Alan, who plays with the England over 75 walking football team, added: "If I was 16 years younger, I would move here. We got close to kangaroos in Brisbane and I was kissed by a Koala bear. It has been the trip of a lifetime."
Julie Abbott, a PE teacher at Nottingham Girls' High School, who was soaked on a speed boat trip around Sydney's Darling Harbour, has not missed a minute of the action in England's World Cup campaign.
"We have made friends for life, with experiences which we will never forget thanks to the England team," she said. "This tournament has been a tremendous success."
Lioness supporter Claire Coyles, 34, on a £12,000 trip Down Under, joked: "We were absolutely soaked on that boat trip but it was worth it. It has been a great experience with great people, and we have the same thing in common - we love seeing this England team. I was at the Euro final, and would not have missed this for the world."
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