IT all comes down to this: one last fixture of the Tokyo 2020 Women’s Football Tournament, providing the Matildas one more chance to medal at an Olympic Games for the very first time.
It’s a battle for bronze between two fierce rivals, with group stage opponents Australia and United States meeting once more at Tokyo 2020 on Thursday, August 5 (kick-off 6.00pm AEST).
The Matildas were gallant in defeat in the Semi Finals, throwing everything at Sweden in a 1-0 loss.
Ellie Carpenter received a straight red card in the final moments of the tightly-contested fixture, ruling the defensive star out of Australia’s meeting with United States in the bronze medal match. Carpenter’s suspension throws a spanner in the works for Matildas boss Tony Gustavsson, who must figure out a way to fill the enormous void in his defensive unit left by one of the country’s top performers.
READ: W-League’s Matildas contingent stand tall in slender Semi Final defeat
United States, meanwhile, will feature in the bronze medal match after falling to Canada in a shock Semi Final result. Sealing a place in the gold medal match was the expectation for the world number one nation, which suddenly faces the prospect of missing out on medals altogether as Thursday night’s battle for third against a dangerous Matildas outfit draws closer.
These two sides drew 0-0 on the final day of group stage action. With a point apiece all-but guaranteeing both nations a place in the knockout phase, the action ebbed and flowed as both Australia and United States seemed content to settle for a draw. But expect fireworks this time around, with the prospect of a medal finish guaranteeing intensity, passion and drama will overflow in this unmissable matchup between two great teams.
As the Matildas look to make history at Tokyo 2020, read on to find out how you can catch all of the action in a blockbuster bronze medal showdown between Australia and United States!
READ: Yallop’s versatility shines through in typically assured Semi Final showing
United States v Australia – Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020
Date: Thursday, August 5 2021
Venue: Nissan Stadium, Japan
Kick-off: 5.00pm local; 6.00pm AEST
Broadcast: Seven Network and 7plus app
All of the Olympics action will be live & free on Channel 7 in Australia. You can also catch the action on the 7plus app. Sign up for free to watch all of the action here: https://7plus.com.au/olympics
