Day 24 at the World Cup in Australia sees the final round of quarter-finals as hosts Australia take on France for a place in the semi-finals, followed by England's clash with Colombia.
Substitute Salma Paralluelo scored an extra-time winner to lift Spain to a nervy 2-1 victory over the Netherlands, while Sweden held off a late Japan fightback to reach the semi-finals with a 2-1 win at Eden Park on Friday.
Saturday's action gets underway with the Matildas facing perhaps their biggest test of the tournament so far as they take on France at Brisbane Stadium at 8am Irish time.
That's followed by the 11:30am game between England and the tournament's giant-killers Colombia. Both games are live on RTÉ 2 and the RTÉ Player.
France are aware of the pressure that a revived Australia side will be under as host nation in their Women's World Cup quarter-final, and expect a tough test in front of a packed and partisan crowd at Lang Park.
France easily brushed aside Morocco in their last 16 tie, scoring three times in eight minutes in a first-half blitz en route to a 4-0 win, while co-hosts Australia saw off Denmark 2-0 at a packed Stadium Australia in Sydney.
"We know tomorrow we are not only playing against one team, but against one nation," France coach Herve Renard said. "But it's also why we are very motivated for this game.
"It's a fantastic tournament. When we played against Brazil here, the stadium was full. Against Jamaica, even against Panama, the stadiums were full.
"We need to congratulate the Australians because it is a success. And tomorrow will be a beautiful occasion to celebrate."
France, who lost 1-0 to the Matildas in a friendly in July, can equal their best World Cup result - a fourth-placed finish in 2011 - with a win over Australia, which would set up a semi-final clash with either England or Colombia.
They exited the tournament in the quarter-final stage in 2015 and on home soil four years ago, when they were knocked out by eventual winners the United States.
"I understand what it means to play quarter-finals in our country versus another country," said forward Eugenie Le Sommer, France's all-time top goalscorer. "It was more difficult to stay within our bubble.
"To know that the stadium will be against us, it's also motivation. It's something that pushes us forward. So we do have pressure, but we also had it during the round of 16."
Australia welcomed back captain Sam Kerr in their win over Denmark, when the striker came off the bench late. However coach Tony Gustavsson has been cagey about her fitness and is playing his cards close to his chest.
"If Sam is fit to play 90 minutes, she is starting," Gustavsson said at his pre-match press conference. "That's not even a question, and the team knows it.
"Whether she is ready to play 90 minutes plus extra time, that's to be decided."
Australia have coped well without all-time top scorer Kerr, scoring six goals in their past two matches - following up a 4-0 win over Canada in their final group game with a 2-0 success against Denmark.
It has been an impressive response to the shock 3-2 defeat by Nigeria that threatened their participation in the knockout stages of a home tournament.
England are looking to take advantage of a wide open tournament, which will crown a new champion after the exits of all former winners and several challengers.
Colombia, having seen off higher-ranked Germany and South Korea, are plotting another upset but England goalkeeper Mary Earps claims that "the best is yet to come" from the Lionesses, who have yet to live up to their full potential in Australia.
"I think there's so much talent in the group and so many more levels that we can go," she said. "I don't think we've been bad by any means. But I think you've seen glimpses of what we're capable of."
England will have to do without the services of influential striker Lauren James who was shown a red card in the European champions' shootout victory over Nigeria in the last-16 after a stamp to the back of Michelle Alozie.
Earps insists that losing such an influential player is not weighing on the minds of England players however.
"To be honest with you, it's not something that we've really spoken a lot about, because we're so focused on the game," she said. "Naturally, we want everybody to be available at all times. But the situation is what it is."
England again look set to line up with three at the back back after losing Keira Walsh to injury against Denmark.
Jess Carter and Alex Greenwood were on either side of Millie Bright for England's 6-1 win over China and the round-of-16 victory on penalties against Nigeria.
Colombia are the lowest-ranked team remaining at number 25, but the scare England got from Nigeria on Monday proved that rankings mean little in a tournament of upsets.
Striker Mayra Ramirez admits that European champions England are favourites but in a game of "11 against 11", she believes her side can cause another shock.
"Colombia has shown that we have talent and that we have sacrificed on the pitch," she said. "We hope for a positive result."
"It's going to be difficult for us but we know how to attack them. We can do a little bit of damage and this is what we're going to be trying to do during the match."
Colombian coach Nelson Abadia is hoping that his side can draw inspiration from the fact that they are the last remaining American representative at the tournament, with all Latin American teams eliminated along with the US and Canada.
"To be representing the whole of the Americas at the moment is important," Abadia said. "Because of everything that happens around this national team - to have all this positive energy not only from Colombia but from the whole continent - is beneficial."
