LAUREN Hemp hailed England as "a special team" and Ella Toone toasted the best shot of her life after the Lionesses reached their first World Cup final with a 3-1 victory over co-hosts Australia.
City forward Hemp restored England's lead in the second half, after Matildas captain Sam Kerr cancelled out Toone's stunning opener, and provided the assist that allowed Alessia Russo to put the game away after 86 minutes.
England, who will now face Spain in Sunday's showdown in Sydney, are just one win away from securing the second major trophy in their history, just under 13 months after becoming European champions at Wembley.
Player-of-the-match Hemp, who started every game of that triumph, said: "Oh my god, what a feeling. I feel like there are no words to describe what we all feel right now.
"It's an unbelievable achievement, getting to a World Cup final. It's every kid's dream. I mean, I've got no words, I'm absolutely knackered right now.
We've got a few days to recover but then we go again.
"We want to win this, obviously we've come so far now, so why not?
Denne historien er fra August 17, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
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Denne historien er fra August 17, 2023-utgaven av Manchester Evening News.
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