World Cup NOW: Where do Sweden, Australia go from here?
Sweden bested tournament co-host Australia in a fierce battle for third place at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on Saturday at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.
It was Sweden's relentless offensive pressure that earned it two goals on the scoreboard. The 2-0 victory marks Sweden's fourth third-place finish, the most of any country in Women's World Cup history.
The "World Cup NOW" crew — Jimmy Conrad, Leslie Osborne and Melissa Ortiz — discussed Sweden's win and speculate about what lies in store for the team going forward. The crew also explores Australia's journey in this tournament and the impact it has had on the host nation.
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Conrad: "Congratulations to Sweden. There's something to be said for being consistently good enough to play in the third-place game and win that. … It's only gonna get harder for Sweden to win this, it's not gonna get any easier. … I don't really know where Sweden goes from here, because they're not really doing much wrong, it's just these fine margins that aren't going their way in those big moments. … I'm curious, because it feels almost unanswerable."
Ortiz: "We mentioned the new generation — Asllani, this is most likely her last World Cup — but did we really see youth players out of Sweden? Like really stand out? Did we really see the newer generation on the Swedish side? I don't think we did, so that's one of the things I find alarming. They are one of the oldest teams in this World Cup."
Conrad: "Can't knock their [Sweden's] consistency, they're very good at being almost good enough to win it all. … For Australia, this is a seminal moment for them. It [this tournament] is going to change the complexion of the game in this country, you can feel it. And I'm so glad they went as far as they did."
Check out the full Women's World Cup schedule and how to watch each match live here. Find the latest scores here.