Canada deflecting the pressure, while Australia feeling the home heat at Women's World Cup

"Pressure is everything you make it," Canadian women's soccer head coach Bev Priestman said Sunday after the team's training session before its final group-stage game Monday (6 a.m. ET) against co-host Australia at the Women's World Cup.

The stakes are high for both teams, as either could advance to the Round of 16 or be eliminated depending on that game's result and the other Group B match against Nigeria and Ireland.

There have been challenges off the field with the now-settled labour negotiations with Canada Soccer, but this team needs to push forward in a way that their mental strength is utilized as much as their physical capacity. Melbourne Rectangular Stadium is sold out and I expect there will be yellow and green, the colours of the home-team Matildas, throughout the stadium with a just sprinkling of red and white for the visitors.

But is the pressure to perform more of a hindrance? Canada can advance with a win or a draw, but Australia is in a win-or-stay-home predicament. If they do not come through with a win, they are out of the tournament. Being eliminated from the group stage is not something any host country wants on their resume.

Australian coach Tony Gustavsson put it matter-of-factly: "It is a failure if we don't go out of the group."

WATCH | Soccer North previews Canada vs. Australia:

Watch Soccer North Live Monday July 31 at 8:30 a.m. ET on cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports YouTube Channel for post-match analysis of Canada vs. Ireland with Andi Petrillo and Diana Matheson.

At the biggest Women's World Cup in history, that pressure and that desire to go on can bring either stress or success. 

The Australian press has been dominated with stories about Gustavsson's failures to add substitutions in their 3-2 loss to Nigeria, and about injured Australian star Sam Kerr's availability and the status her  calf muscles. Gustavsson acknowledges the pressure from sports media has been intense.

I asked him Sunday whether he has read any of the colourful commentary and at first he said: "I don't know how much there has been, because I haven't kept track of it." He went on to explain that his own side was focused on the pitch.

But as the session went on, Gustavsson replied to many of the Australian media with specific knowledge or a quick nod to what they had written. When one Australian reporter asked him a question about tactics, Gustavsson replied, "I'm surprised you're asking this question."

He clearly sees and knows what's being written and shared in the press.

WATCH: Shelina Zadorsky says Team Canada is filled with 'calm confidence':

But the media screaming that this match is the most pivotal and could be the end of hopes and dreams of so many Australians can absolutely be distracting. The players are active on social media and can read and see what's being said.