Australia v Brazil: Women's World Cup 2019 – live!

4.50pm BST16:50

With 10 minutes to kick-off, the Fifa DJ starts cycling through the usual selection of tracks. AC/DC’s Thunderstruck is a firm favourite, and you know things are about to get serious when ‘Seven Nation Army’ by the White Stripes begins to crank. At the men’s World Cup in Russia, the Socceroos would be serenaded by classic ‘Down Under’ by Men at Work. No such luck for the Matildas. We should start a petition…

4.47pm BST16:47

I have crowdsourced predictions from the Guardian Australia’s coverage team (plus AAP’s ever-reliable scribe Ben McKay), which indicates we are a fairly optimistic bunch and expecting a high-scoring affair in Montpellier:

Ella Reilly: 3-2 Australia
Richard Parkin: 3-0 Australia
Kieran Pender: 3-1 Australia
Ben McKay: 2-2 draw

Our friends at The Fiver, meanwhile, have tipped a 3-1 win for Brazil.

Updated
at 4.47pm BST

4.41pm BST16:41

Interesting choice of words from Australia’s Alana Kennedy ahead of the match:

We have the rivalry with Brazil now at the last two major tournaments, where we knocked them out and they knocked us out. But when you’re on the field I don’t give a shit who [Marta] is – she’s an opponent and I want to beat her.

4.37pm BST16:37

Key points from the teams: Australia’s Elise Kellond-Knight is back in the starting line-up, but has been shuffled to left-back, while Emily Gielnik has been brought into the attacking fold, replacing Hayley Raso. The big news for Brazil is that veteran Marta, six-time Fifa player of the year, has been elevated into the XI after spending the Jamaica game on the bench.

The Brazilian players warm up in the sunshine. Photograph: Greig Cowie/BPI/Shutterstock

Updated
at 4.51pm BST

4.32pm BST16:32

Both teams have brought colourful contingents of supporters to Montpellier.

Supporters of Brazil cheer prior to the preliminary round match between Brazil and Australia at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 in Montpellier, France. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA

Fans of Australia wait at the stand for the start of the Women’s World Cup Group C soccer match between Australia and Brazil at Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier, France. Photograph: Claude Paris/AP

4.19pm BST16:19

Line-ups

Here are the line-ups:

Australia (4-3-3): Williams, Kellond-Knight, Catley, Kennedy, Carpenter, Logarzo, van Egmond, Yallop, Foord, Kerr (c), Gielnik

Brazil (4-1-4-1): Barbara, Thaisa, Tamires, Andressa, Formiga, Debinha, Marta (c), Cristiane, L Santos, Kathellen, Mônica

Updated
at 4.20pm BST

4.14pm BST16:14

And Parkin’s preview of today’s encounter. As I just told him in the media centre, his great opening paragraph – complete with Caesar, the Rubicon and some Latin – is actually somewhat ironic given Montpellier is one of the few major settlements in the south of France that doesn’t have a Roman past. How’s that for #history!

4.08pm BST16:08

My colleague Richard Parkin has been busy of late. Here’s his take on the Matildas’ long-standing rivalry with Brazil:

4.03pm BST16:03

Some initial pre-reading for you all – our comprehensive team guides to Australia and Brazil respectively:

2.29pm BST14:29

Preamble

Kieran Pender

Hello and welcome to Montpellier. The sun is shining and the scene is set. It might be hyperbolic to say that this encounter with Brazil is do or die for the Matildas, but it certainly comes pretty close. Lose or draw today and the Australians face a must-win clash with Jamaica next week; the probable outcome being a third-placed finish in Group C and a tough Round of 16 opponent. If the Matildas continue their strong form against Brazil – they have won four straight – Australia’s campaign will be back on the road and the loss to Italy swiftly forgotten.

For Brazil, their 3-0 triumph over Jamaica on Sunday was the perfect way to snap a nine game losing streak. But Jamaica were hardly difficult opposition. Today’s match should indicate whether that victory was a temporary uptick on a long, downhill slump, or a return to their scintillating form of old.

Whatever the case, I’m standing by here at Stade de la Mosson to bring you a blow by blow account. Do let me know what you think along the way, via email or Twitter: @KieranPender.