Matildas

Who are the Matildas group opponents at the Women's World Cup?

Australia will be out to reach the knockout stages of a Women's World Cup for a fourth straight time in June and find themselves in a well-balanced group.

Drawn in Group C, the Matildas will open their 2019 World Cup campaign against Italy before subsequent games against Brazil and Italy.

Read on for all the details on the Matildas Group C rivals...

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Italy


Italy women's team

The Azzurre will be the Matildas first opponents in France and could be an ideal warm-up for Australia.

Currently ranked 15th in the world, Italy are appearing at their first Women's World Cup since 1999 and their third tournament overall.

Italy arrive in France having lost just one of their last eight matches with that defeat coming via penalties in the Cyprus Cup final against North Korea in March. 

Their AC Milan attacker Daniela Sabatino is one to watch with the 33-year-old scoring three goals across her past four international appearances. 

Provisional Italy squad: 

Francesca Durante, Laura Giuliani, Chiara Marchitelli, Rosalia Pipitone; Elisa Bartoli, Lisa Boattin, Laura Fusetti, Sara Gama, Alia Guagni, Linda Cimini Tucceri, Valery Vigilucci; Greta Adami, Lisa Alborghetti, Valentina Bergamaschi, Barbara Bonansea, Valentina Cernoia, Aurora Galli, Manuela Giugliano, Alice Parisi, Martina Rosucci, Annamaria Serturini; Cristiana Girelli, Valentina Giacinti, Ilaria Mauro, Daniela Sabatino, Stefania Tarenzi.


Brazil


Brazil women's teamGetty

A familiar foe for the Matildas, the Selecao have suffered nine straight defeats leading up to the World Cup but do start their campaign against lowly Jamaica before facing Australia.

Brazil lost their last match against the green and gold 3-1 in 2018 and were also defeated 1-0 in the Round of 16 at the 2015 World Cup by the Matildas.

Currently ranked 10th in the world, Brazil have never won the Women's World Cup but did finish second in 2007. 

Their key player remains captain Marta, who has scored over 100 goals for her nation and is a six-time winner of FIFA's Best Women's Player of the Year. 

Brazil squad:

Aline, Barbara, Leticia, Fabiana, Leticia Santos, Tamires, Camila, Erika, Monica, Kathellen, Tayla, Andressinha, Formiga, Adriana, Thaisa, Bia Zaneratto, Cristiane, Raquel, Debinha, Geyse, Ludmilla, Marta, Andressa Alves.


Jamaica


Jamaica women's team

Disbanded in 2008 and only reformed six years later, the Reggae Girlz, as they're affectionately known, are still finding their feet in women's football.

Ranked 53rd in the world, Jamaica will make their World Cup debut in France and recently finished third at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship.

That tournament saw them beaten 6-0 by the US in the semi-finals, a result the Matildas will be hoping to replicate. 

Jamaica are undefeated in their last five matches leading up to the World Cup however and will be hoping to surprise a few people in France. 

One player capable of turning heads is young attacker Khadija Shaw, who has scored 28 goals across 21 appearances for Jamaica leading up to the tournament. 

Jamaica squad:

Sydney Schnieder, Konya Plymmer, Marlo Sweatman, Khadijah Shaw, Deneisha Blackwood, Dominique Bond-Flasza, Allyson Swaby, Trudi Carter, Chantelle Swaby, Ashleigh Shim, Sashana Campbell, Nicole McClure, Roriana Patterson, Chinyelu Asher, Lauren Silver, Jody Brown, Chanel Hudson-Mark, Yazmeen Jameison, Kyla McCoy, Chenya Matthews, Tiffany Cameron, Olufolsade Adamolekun.

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