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Australia's journey in the Women's World Cup was both history-making and game-changing. However, the Matildas' impressive run ended on Saturday, losing 2-0 to Sweden in the third-place playoff.
But this World Cup, which ignited a soccer frenzy across Australia, marked a milestone for women's soccer in the country, as the Matildas achieved their best-ever result.
While no team aspires to play in the third-place playoff, often seen as having a subdued atmosphere, the Matildas enjoyed overwhelming support throughout this World Cup. Even after Sweden established a formidable 2-0 lead, the packed Brisbane crowd continued to cheer every pass, tackle, and aggressive move.
In what was a challenging match, Sweden displayed their skill and experience. Fridolina Rolfö's first-half penalty and captain Kosovare Asllani's outstanding goal secured Sweden's victory and third place.
After a heart-wrenching loss to Spain in the last moments of their semifinal, Sweden demonstrated their resilience. They have a history of finishing strong, having secured third place in 1991, 1995, and 2019, marking a positive conclusion to this tournament.
The Matildas, meanwhile, finished fourth, a remarkable achievement given they had never progressed past the quarterfinals in earlier tournaments.