By Nick Mulvenney
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Mackenzie Arnold has become one of Australia’s favourite sportspeople since her heroics at the weekend but she knows her fame will be fleeting if she is not at the top of her game in Wednesday’s Women’s World Cup semi-final against England.
Arnold was Player of the Match in Australia’s quarter-final against France on Saturday, making a string of saves late in the game and stopping three penalties in a shootout victory that captured the hearts of the host nation.
“I guess the last couple of days have been a pretty big whirlwind for me,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
“Obviously I have not received attention like that (before), but at the same time I just tend to block it out because I know if I play like shit tomorrow it could be a whole different attention on me.”
Arnold also took a penalty in the shootout, pinging Australia’s…