Women’s World Cup 2023 quarter-final predictions: Rachel Brown-Finnis predicts all the scores including England v Colombia

There are only eight teams left in the Fifa Women’s World Cup, and they are all dreaming of glory in the final at Stadium Australia in Sydney on 20 August.

BBC Sport football expert Rachel Brown-Finnis is predicting the outcome of all 64 matches at the tournament.

She correctly guessed the outcome of all eight last-16 ties, and 27 of the 48 group games, giving her a success rate of 63% for the tournament.

Before the tournament, she chose eight of the 16 teams that progressed to the first knockout stage, including England, who she believes will win the World Cup.

AET = After extra time

Friday, 11 August

Spain v Netherlands (Wellington, 02:00 BST)

This World Cup is wide open. All eight remaining teams will believe they can win it from here, and every quarter-final is going to be extremely close.

Spain have scored plenty of goals so far at this tournament but I’ve been really impressed by the Netherlands’ all-round play.

They are both in good form I don’t think you’d consider either of these teams to be the favourite to progress, which makes my job of predicting the winner very tricky!

I see it going the distance, with the Dutch just about edging it in extra-time.

Brown-Finnis’ prediction: 0-1 after extra time

Japan v Sweden (Auckland, 08:30)

This tie was the toughest to call.

Japan are free-scoring and also probably play the most free-flowing football we’ve seen at this tournament.

But, after seeing how Sweden dug deep to get past the USA in the last 16, I just have a feeling they will find a way of winning this game too.

There is only one area where Sweden are superior – they have a pretty comprehensive height advantage, and I think their ability to score from set-pieces will prove to be the difference.

Brown-Finnis’ prediction: 1-2

Saturday, 12 August

Australia v France (Brisbane, 08:00)

I am in Sydney and there is such a buzz around the Matildas – everyone is walking around in Australia shirts and the city’s fan zone for the Denmark game in the last round was absolutely rammed. It will be exactly the same for this tie, which is on Saturday night local time.

The atmosphere here is incredible and I’d love to see Australia win, just so it carries on.

It is is going to be very close, but I reckon Caitlin Foord will win a penalty and Stephanie Catley will put that away for the hosts. Sam Kerr will come on again too, and she just has to score at some point in her home tournament – this game would be a good time for that to happen.

Brown-Finnis’ prediction: 2-1 after extra time

England v Colombia (Sydney, 11:30)

An Australia versus England semi-final would be amazing – I am refusing to buy my kids Australia shirts in case it happens.

People are starting to doubt England, but this is the game where I think they will come out and play some beautiful football and get into a groove.

Even so, it is going to be very close and there are so many personal battles all over the pitch which will help decide it.

I’m particularly looking forward to Lucy Bronze against Linda Caicedo on England’s right flank, and Millie Bright up against Catalina Usme in the middle.

Colombia are a quality team and they will definitely create some chances – they switch play very effectively with diagonal balls and are very dangerous with headers.

But Mary Earps has kept three clean sheets and only been beaten from the penalty spot – during the group-stage win over China and the shootout victory over Nigeria in the last round – and she is not going to concede here either.

Brown-Finnis’ prediction: 1-0

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