More misery for Australia! Women's World Cup hosts fail to win bronze medal as Sweden keep Sam Kerr quiet in one-sided third-place play-off

• Australia beaten 2-0
• Sweden dominate game
• Aussies roared on by packed crowd

WHAT HAPPENED? Australia were dealt the crushing blow of losing to England in the semi-finals and have again tasted defeat just a few days later, as goals from Fridolina Rolfo and Kosovare Asllani gave Sweden a straightforward victory in the match for third place. The Swedes were the better side throughout, creating multiple chances, and were perhaps unlucky not to win by more. Australia, by comparison, were always the underdogs coming into the game, but they were undone by the concession of a penalty, from which Rolfo opened the scoring, and then a superb strike from the edge of the box by Asllani.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Sam Kerr had been the star of the tournament for Australia and she scored a screamer in the semi-final, but she was kept quiet by the resilient Swedish defence, as they limited her to ineffective touches outside of the penalty area. Without her playmaking ability, the Matildas struggled to find any rhythm throughout the encounter.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

Getty

Getty

WHAT NEXT? Australia will reflect on a pulsating World Cup adventure that has seen the popularity of the women's game grow to previously unseen levels in the country, while Sweden's players head home with a bronze medal as they reflect on what might have been if they'd managed to get the better of Spain in the semi-final.