England fans taunt Australians outside Sydney Opera House ahead of Women’s World Cup

England fans went wild as they celebrated Alessia Russo making it 3-1 for the Lionesses as they pipped Australia to the World Cup final – the first ever for the England national women’s team.

Fans whooped and cheered ‘it’s coming home’ as the Lionesses sealed their place in their first ever World Cup decider, with spectators watching on big screens across the country cheering them on.

In London today, Brits embraced ‘WFH Wednesday’ as they packed bars with their laptops – keeping one eye on the screen, one eye on their computers. 

It was a full house at the Shoreditch Boxpark with hundreds packed shoulder to shoulder on picnic benches as a rendition of Sweet Caroline rippled through the crowd.

The day started with playful gloating from the Aussies – but the taunting came to a rapid end when Ella Toone smashed home the first goal to put England one step closer to the World Cup final.

Sam Kerr pulled one back in the second half with a good shot from outside the box to level the score.

However, the mood wasn’t dampened for long as Lauren Hemp made it 2-1 in the 70th minute.

Alessia Russo fired home a third goal for good measure in the 86th minute, all-but-guaranteeing England’s spot in the final.

At Goldwood Sportsbar in the City people in suits are sitting with their laptops up drinking champagne on ice. 

The bar is booked out with reservations and it’s roaring with screams already from people both sat or stood at the bar.

One group of female lawyers – half of them English and half Australian – said their boss let them out to watch the game because he loved the ‘friendly rivalry’.

A group of 12 Australians from Sydney working in London gathered in the pub to watch the game – having pulled a sickie.

One said: ‘Sam Kerr is the beating heart of our country, I would die and get cremated for her. She’s everything to us. 

‘We were nervous coming in but everyone’s been so welcoming. It’s fun being the enemy now since we’re doing well.’

As England’s second goal went in, jubilant fans slammed the tables and shouted ‘England!’ – as Aussies put their heads in their hands.

And as the team made it three, fans began to chant: ‘It’s coming home.’

Ella Toone was clapped and cheered off by spectators.

Meanwhile, football fans packed into the STACK in Sunderland to watch the game today. 

Armed with pints and donning England shirts, they were eagerly waiting for the highly anticipated match to kick off.

Anthony Mclachlan, 31, brought his two daughters, Mia, nine, and Esme, six, to watch the game.

The civil servant from Gateshead said: ‘The girls are really into football. It’s nice to watch the women’s game.

‘Mia wants to start playing football after seeing the women. They’ve really spurred her on. She wants to be a Lioness.

‘We’ve watched the games at home but because it’s the semi-final I wanted to bring them out and this is a great venue that’s family friendly.’

Mia added: ‘I really like football and so do all of my friends.

‘When they won the Euros it made me even more interested in women’s football. They make me believe that I can play for England one day.

‘They’re going to win today!’

Emma Pallas, 20, a shop worker from Sunderland said: ‘I have every hope that they’re going to win.

‘It’s great to see women on the big screen. There’s a nicer atmosphere at women’s football than at men’s.

‘We watched the women’s euros so we also wanted to come out for the World Cup.

‘There’s a good crowd out today.’

Her friend, Leah Dixon, a factory worker from Sunderland added: ‘We came out to watch it as there’s a great atmosphere watching the games.

‘England can go all the way. They’ll beat Australia and get to the finals.

‘They’re going to win.’

Neil Farline, 59, lived in Greystanes, Sydney, Australia for a number of years before moving back to the UK.

The healthcare worker from Sunderland donned a yellow shirt to support the Australian Women’s team in the semi-final.

The father-of-two said: ‘I grew up in Australia and spent many years there so the country and the football team have a special place in my heart.

‘The Matildas will be fierce competition for the Lionesses. They’re a fantastic team and I think it will be a close match.

‘It’s a great opportunity for Aussie fans, like myself, to watch the game in the UK.

‘I’m wearing the team’s colours to show support for the girls.

‘I’ll be rooting for them but I’ll have to be careful not to cheer too loud when they score to not upset the England fans.’

Australia has been in a celebratory mood this summer, having already retained the Ashes and won the Netball World Cup at the expense of the old enemy.

And the exploits of their footballers in the Women’s World Cup in recent weeks have now further galvanised a nation which revels in its sporting rivalry with England.

Australia’s fans booed England as they walked onto the pitch for the crunch Women’s World Cup semi-final today amid the outbreak of banter between the two nations. 

For the English, memories are still fresh in the mind of Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow in the second Test at Lord’s, which prompted booing and chants of ‘Same old Aussies, always cheating’ for the remainder of the series.

The European champions are assured of a hostile welcome at a sold-out Stadium Australia as they try to end the Matildas’ dream of World Cup glory on home soil.

England fans with the ‘FreeLionesses’ supporters group gathered in front of Sydney Opera House today, with some joking that there is ‘no rivalry, it’s not cricket’.

Others said the team were going to ‘bring it home’ and ‘it’s absolutely coming home’, referring to the song Three Lions by Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds.

It comes as the England team found themselves on the receiving end of a bizarre spying controversy after a training session was photographed from a helicopter.

Meanwhile, tickets intended for England fans were bought up by Australians after a unique Lionesses code for an allocation of 1,970 was leaked on social media. 

A post on the Football Association’s website said the access code ‘Lioness’ was exclusively for England fans. 

But several Australian supporters managed to buy tickets in their opponents’ section of the stadium and bragged they would be ‘wearing Matildas’ shirts. 

The European champions will take on the Matildas at Sydney’s sold-out Stadium Australia, where most of the 75,000 in attendance will be backing the co-hosts.

The winner of today’s contest will take on Spain for the trophy this Sunday at 11am UK time, after they beat Sweden 2-1 yesterday to book their trip to the final.

Outside the Sydney Opera House today, one England fan told BBC Breakfast: ‘We’re definitely outnumbered fan-wise, but I don’t think that’s going to stop us tonight, we’re gonna be up for it.’

Another said: ‘There’s no rivalry, it’s not cricket, we’re gonna win, we’re gonna bring it home, 100 per cent.’

A third added: ‘I’m buzzing, we’re ready to put on a show and silence the country.’ And a fourth said: ‘We can win it.’

Eager Australian football fans based in the UK also turned out in force to cheer on their team.

More than two hours before kick-off more than 100 fans queued up outside the Vauxhall Beer Garden this morning – with not a England fan in sight.

Many wore the bright yellow colours of the team while others draped themselves in the national flag.

Jessica Rimmington travelled from her home in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with her ten-year-old daughter Ivy to watch the match with other fans.

Ivy had her face painted with the national flag and clutched two soft toys – a kangaroo and crocodile.

Ms Rimmington, who has lived in the UK for five years, said: ‘We travelled a long way to be here, but wanted to be with other Oz fans. It is going to be a special day.’

Ivy added: ‘We are going to win. I hope the Matildas’ win.’

TV cameras crews from Australian TV broadcast live with one fan telling the reporter: ‘What’s not to like? Footy and a beer at 9am.’

Casey Findlay and Tim Hearn said they are dual citizens with Australian and English passports, but having grown up in Australia they are supporting the Matildas.

Casey said: ‘I grew up going to their games when there were just 1,000 people in the ground. It is going to be amazing seeing so many people watching in the stadium.

‘We will win because of the energy and support that will be coming to the team.’

Sharon Holmes queued up while clutching an inflatable kangaroo and wore an Aussie team shirt.

She is visiting relatives in Newbury, Berkshire, and said she could not resist watching the match.

‘It is nice to be here among so many people who all want the same thing – a Matildas win.’

The majority of those waiting for the Vauxhall Beer Garden to open were women.

Organisers of the Vauxhall event said they were expecting hundreds of Aussies to attend.

Xavier Holland, who runs the ‘Aussies’ in London’ social media pages, had arranged for dozens of cases of one of Australia’s favourite beers, Victoria Bitter, to be sold.

He said: ‘We have about 60,000 members on our Facebook page, and this was a great event for ex-pats and those on vacation to get together to cheer the Matildas. We’ve arranged for Victoria Bitter to be sold.’

When it was pointed out that the bar was not serving Foster’s lager – the beer most associate with Australia – he said: ‘That’s for foreigners – not Aussies. Everyone is excited today and hoping we reach the final.’

Soon after the doors opened at the open air beer garden a long queue formed at the bar with bench seats closest to the large screen snapped up.

A long queue stretching over 100 metres had formed outside the venue before security guards allowed fans inside.

It comes after the Australian Daily Telegraph sent up an aircraft to capture images from the Lionesses’ behind-closed-doors session at their training base as they finalised plans for today’s match.

Published under the headline ‘Eleven Poms against a nation: Welcome to the jungle, Lionesses’, the pictures show England boss Sarina Wiegman and her staff putting the players through their paces ahead of the eagerly-anticipated contest.

The newspaper wrote: ‘If England’s Lionesses thought they would happily fly into the World Cup semi-final under the radar they were in for a rude shock.

‘We’ve sent the chopper up to see how the old enemy are preparing…Welcome to the jungle, Lionesses, we’ve got fun and games.’

It added: ‘It might not be in the spirit of football, but after last month’s men’s Ashes cricket series we will let the moral arbiters England pass judgment on what is and isn’t acceptable in the world of sport.’

The Football Association has declined to comment on the incident.