Summary
Thank you for joining me tonight on an historic occasion for Australia. Over 50,000 fans packed Marvel stadium for a match that ended with victory over the fifth-ranked side in the world. These set-piece World Cup send-offs risk hubris, but tonight served only to increase the hype around the tournament and the potential for the Matildas to go far in it.
All of that kicks off on Thursday with New Zealand hosting Norway in Auckland, followed by Australia welcoming Ireland to Sydney. We’ll be right here to cover all the action.
I’ll leave you with Kieran Pender’s match report from Melbourne. Stay tuned for stacks more World Cup content over the coming days as we count down to the biggest sporting event of the year. Goodnight!
For Hervé Renard, other than the injury to Bacha, there seems no reason to dwell on the defeat. His side controlled possession for long periods and didn’t want for commitment. However, the lack of a skilful #10 in the final third could become a concern at the World Cup if they fail to unpick defences through their slick ball movement.
The pace further forward is a weapon no side wants to come up again, and in Raso, Carpenter, and Vine in particular, Australia can play on the counterattack with real purpose. That’s helped by the ability of Kerr and Foord to hold the ball up and straighten the lines in attack, as they did often in the first half.
Plenty of promising signs for the Matildas, who, in the past few months, have really grown into a team with the all-round potential to live up to the hype.
Tony Gustavsson will be thrilled by his side’s resilience in the second half as Australia defended their lead with great composure. The back four, with the returning Kennedy partnering Hunt, was going to be scrutinised, and aside from a couple of cheap turnovers in the first half they performed outstandingly.
An end-to-end first-half gave way to a scrappy, disjointed second, one that unraveled as the substitutions began to flow on the hour mark. Fowler’s finish will lead the match reports, but the injuries to Bacha and Yallop could prove the lasting storylines from the 90 minutes.
Sam Kerr goes straight to goalscorer Mary Fowler for a big high five and embrace as the players shake hands and draw breath.
Full-time: Australia 1-0 France
The Matildas prepare for next week’s World Cup with a hard fought victory in front of a record crowd. Roll on Thursday!
90+7 mins: Lyon clubmate Ellie Carpenter is in tears at the distress Bacha is suffering.
90+6 mins: Another injury, this time for France. And this one looks devastating for the talented Bacha. The 22-year-old has impressed tonight, but she rolled her ankle contesting possession with Raso, and now she’s being carried from the field on a stretcher in obvious distress.
90+5 mins: France are refusing to go quietly and Feller almost gets her head onto a teasing cross, but Arnold gathers easily and Australia are safe.
Updated
90+3 mins: Le Garrec blazes miles over. For all their possession, France have created very little this second half.
90+2 mins: More crosses blocked, this time by Hunt and Raso. Commitment and determination to the fore for Australia late in the piece.
90+1 mins: Five minutes of stoppage time remaining for France to find an equaliser.
90 mins: Becho has been lively since her introduction and she creates a chance down the right with a lovely flick, but she then fails to finish the move with a snatched volley dribbling wide.
89 mins: The substitutes Mateo and Becho look to combine down the left but Polkinghorne does well to cover the near post and shut down the opportunity. Backs to the wall stuff for the Matildas as France hurl everything towards Australian territory.
87 mins: It is going to be attack v defence until the final whistle now with Australia happy to defend their lead in numbers. France are full of endeavour but little inspiration.
Meanwhile, Yallop is seen limping slowly towards the tunnel. I fear her World Cup is over before it’s begun.
85 mins: France are not giving up hope in these closing stages but Australia have defended the space around their penalty area superbly all night. Substitute Becho does well down the right but once Geyoro takes the ball in the box the space is closed down quickly.
83 mins: But now Yallop has finally accepted her fate and is replaced by the veteran Luik. fingers crossed for Yallop’s fitness.
79' Two more changes
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 14, 2023
⬇ @stephcatley & @AlannaKennedy
⬆ @courtneynevin__ & @clarepolks89
🇦🇺 1-0 🇫🇷 #AUSvFRA#Matildas
80 mins: Play gets back underway after changes aplenty for both teams. Yallop, however, remains on the field.
2⃣ changements !
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) July 14, 2023
Entrée de Léa Le Garrec et la grande première de Vicky Becho 🔥
🇦🇺1-0🇫🇷 | #AUSFRA | #FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/MiCRgegQP5
Updated
78 mins: Now Kennedy’s down, but this looks just like cramp. This delay allows players from both sides to pause, take on fluids, and steel themselves for the final ten or so minutes.
76 mins: Yallop is back on her feet but not back in the action as France force a corner.
𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝟓𝟎,𝟔𝟐𝟗.
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 14, 2023
The biggest-ever crowd for a standalone #Matildas game in Australia! 👏#AUSvFRA pic.twitter.com/lK4kB966L9
74 mins: Gah! That doesn’t look good for Tameka Yallop. Fighting for possession with Cascarino on the left her left leg buckled in contact and she hit the deck in pain. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious.
72 mins: France back on the front foot, but there’s no penetration in central areas. Australia’s control of their own penalty box has been impressive tonight.
70 mins: The referee is not in France’s good books. Aside from the penalty call, a throw-in and a free-kick have both now gone against the visitors in quick succession. From the set-piece Gorry dinks a dangerous ball into the mixer that Les Bleues do well to clear. There’s a gold jersey in an offside position when the second ball threatens to lead to a chance.
68 mins: Bacha’s decision making and execution in the final third has left plenty to be desired at times tonight. Not for the first time she lets fly with a wild effort that fails to trouble Arnold.
GOAL! Australia 1-0 France (Fowler, 66)
Of course, just as I type that the Matildas score a perfect Matildas goal. Raso accepts the ball on the right and uses her pace to dart towards the byline, from where she picks out Fowler with the cutback. The Manchester City star drills home a composed first-time finish. Australia ahead, somewhat against the run of play.
Updated
64 mins: Raso, now playing up front, does well to buy a free-kick with her back to goal. It’s brief respite though with France dominating possession and controlling the game. Australia’s bold raids are reducing in both frequency and potency.
62 mins: The night as a first-XI v first-XI is over. Australia put Foord and Kerr on ice with Yallop and Van Egmond coming on. Not sure quite how Australia fashion a forward line now.
60 mins: France are stringing the passes together again, pushing Australia deeper and deeper, nullifying the press and denying the Matildas any clearing outlet. But despite probing left and right and over the top, nothing of substance materialises. Just as the pressure builds towards inevitability Sam Kerr does incredibly to collect the clearing ball, spin out of trouble and charge into French territory, relieving the stress on her defensive colleagues.
During a short break in play, replays confirm that was a stonewall penalty earlier on by the way. VAR not in action tonight, but it will be during the World Cup.
Updated
58 mins: Penalty surely! No! Le Sommer accepted a looping cross on her chest and was absolutely thumped from behind by Catley. Stonewall for mine. But play goes on. Sacre bleu!
56 mins: France can’t play their way out of defence and Catley gallops down the left to create the overlap and stand up a perfect cross to the penalty spot but Kerr can’t win the aerial battle. Australia recycle play nicely but Raso’s centring ball from the right skews out of play. Australia look much more promising when they assert themselves out of possession.
55 mins: Now it’s Australia’s turn to attack with Gorry driving at the heart of the France defence with purpose. A couple of ricochets later and the Matildas haver a corner. Gorry takes it herself, and it might be the worst set-piece you will ever seen, curling meekly straight out of play.
53 mins: France have settled now and they’re exploiting the space through Australia’s lines, this time down the right, but Bacha can’t capitalise at the far post, smashing a presentable chance high and wide.
52 mins: Without the ball Australia have shifted to a mid-block from the aggressive press of the first half, and it allows France to progress the ball forward easier. A free-kick in midfield sees Dali lump a ball into the box but after a gold jersey wins the initial header, Cascarino drags a weak effort wide.
50 mins: A rare France counterattack forces Hunt to concede a corner but Renard can’t win the header and the Matildas clear.
Updated
49 mins: It’s been a scrappy start to the second half with neither side settling into their game. France again are looking to play possession football and craft openings, Australia are 100mph on the front foot as soon as they seize the ball.
47 mins: Fowler into the action early with a nice interception then a brisk pass forward to Kerr, who was offside. Fowler appears to be in a #10 role, with Foord moving out to the left.
46 mins: Back underway after the break, and there was a change apiece at half-time with Fowler replacing Vine for Australia and Cascarino replacing De Almeida for France.
“Evening Jonathan,” evening Phil Withall. “I’ve managed to miss most of the first half, dogs don’t fully appreciate football unless they are chasing one, but from what I’ve seen the tempo of the game is working against the French. Seemingly forcing them to rush their decision making in the final third when a calmer head would possibly have seen them ahead by now. It’s an interesting contest, evenly poised and a hard one to pick an obvious winner from. A perfect appetiser for next week.” Astute observations, as ever Phil.
Tactically, France want a moderate tempo, time to spray the ball around, work space, and score a very specific goal – namely a finish in the box from an overlap cross or cutback. Australia, by contrast, are like a bunch of labrador puppies let loose in an off-leash dog park, eager to chase anything that moves with pure abandon. For France, that means they have to match Australia one-on-one all over the park, dragging them out of position and draining them of energy. For the Matildas, it means they have to make the most of their opportunities because supply will be at a premium against the best sides who have the discipline and technique not to be drawn into the vortex.
Half-time: Australia 0-0 France
Plenty of energy and entertainment at Marvel Stadium, but neither side has broken the deadlock.
45+2 mins: Kerr again profits from a ball in broken field after good pressure from the Australian midfield. The cross into the box is not dealt with by France but Raso and Foord get in each other’s way until the former squirts a weak bouncing shot away that Pevraud-Magnin handles with aplomb.
45 + 1 mins: Lovely control from Raso to cushion the long pass out of defence. Neat interplay with Kerr follows, but France do well to win back possession.
45 mins: Catley’s floated delivery flicks away off a head and France clear.
44 mins: After a hectic couple of minutes Karchaoui is booked for a bodycheck on the advancing Foord. It’s fair to say France were not impressed with the decision.
43 mins: Kerr’s ability to make something out of nothing comes to the fore again as she bullies Renard into an error. She wants a free-kick, but it doesn’t arrive, and France go down the other with Geyoro demanding a penalty after tumbling in the box on the burst but Hunt’s slight shirt tug goes unpunished.
41 mins: France enjoy a spell of pressure but the best they can make of it is a Le Sommer header that dribbles wide after a late run into the box.
39 mins: Carpenter is a joy to watch. First she cuts out a dangerous crossfield pass, but she doesn’t just admire her work, she hares off for the return pass and takes play deep into France’s half before trying to trick her way into the box. So dynamic for a nominal right fullback.
37 mins: This Matildas team, set up to play this way, must be very annoying to play against. Effectively more dangerous without the ball, and designed to thrive on broken play and one-percenters.
Updated
35 mins: Australia’s approach of backing individuals to win one-on-one duels doesn’t sound the most repeatable strategy, but it continues to offer outlets. A hopeful punt to the left wing ends with Kerr wriggling clear and driving into the box, but not for the first time tonight the cutback fails to hit a target.
33 mins: A scrappy few minutes bursts into life when France pounce on an errant Australian pass. Again they look to the left, and again the cross into the box is dangerous, and again there’s a blue jersey ready to pound home the second ball, and again there’s a gold jersey there to block. Catley denying Diani – the pair recovering quickly from their clash of heads.
30 mins: Australia’s strategy from defence to attack is so direct. First Carpenter runs 50m with the ball at her feet but the forward combination can’t fashion an opportunity, then Foord shows her super footwork once again and earns a corner. France deal with the set piece confidently, but there’s a stoppage in play after a clash of heads between Catley and Diani.
28 mins: France are concentrating plenty of attention on their left flank where Dali and Bacha have looked bright. They combine to earn a free-kick in a dangerous situation but Renard’s looping flick lands on the roof of the net.
Updated
26 mins: That’s better from Pevraud-Magnin, diving bravely at the feet of Foord in the six-yard box after a superb run from the Arsenal forward that saw her played in by Gorry, and waltz beyond Renard with a beautiful bodyswerve.
Updated
24 mins: Gorry’s delivery to the near post should be claimed easily by Pevraud-Magnin but she elects to punch, leading to chaos in the box that ends only when Kerr is unfortunate to feel the ball on her hand following a ricochet.
23 mins: Vine and Catley combine well on the left to earn a corner.
22 mins: Australia’s inability (or reluctance?) to retain possession is starting to hurt. France are dominating the ball and squeezing higher up the field. With the pace less frantic the passing is crisper and more methodical. This is exactly the test the Matildas need to work their way through.
Updated
20 mins: France should be ahead. The combinations in midfield are starting to click and the ball movement opened space on the left. The dinked cross is headed out but only as far as Geyoro, who smashes a shot into the outstretched leg of Hunt who blocks a certain goal.
18 mins: France have looked as though they’re about to get on top in midfield for the past ten minutes or so, but they keep misplacing a crucial pass and succumbing to Australia’s pace on the counter and having to rebuild from scratch. The latest example sees Vine fail to capitalise on a bouncing ball just on the edge of the penalty area with Les Bleues out of position.
17 mins: The first shot on target comes from France with Bacha stinging Arnold’s palms after a cheap turnover from Hunt coming out of defence.
16 mins: That early frantic energy has dissipated, but neither side has settled into their work yet. Oddly, that quite suits Australia, who hit overdrive at the flick of a switch and turn innocuous broken field play into dangerous sorties.
14 mins: Kerr can’t convert a classic Australian counterattack! After a couple of minutes of French pressure the ball finds Foord in midfield and she accepts the invitation to gallop into space. She has the poise to slide in Kerr behind the defensive line, but the skipper’s first touch is poor and denies her what should have been a clear shooting opportunity.
Updated
12 mins: France are starting to grow in midfield with Toletti busy, but Australia have defended the edge of their box stoutly.
11 mins: Gorry’s dinked free-kick from the left of the box looks dangerous in the air but there’s no golden jersey steaming in at the far post to honour the delivery.
10 mins: France are trying to build slowly from the back, but Australia are refusing to allow them an easy out ball with a disciplined press. It’s more urgent and direct when the Matildas get the ball, and from one such incursion Kerr wins a free-kick shielding possession.
8 mins: It’s still like pinball in midfield with neither side able to establish clear patterns of play.
6 mins: Pace again almost works for Australia with Vine storming down the left to overlap but failing to turn the industry into an opportunity. The strategy of using the control and technique of Kerr and Foord centrally, with pacy runners around them, feels like a winning one.
Updated
5 mins: A couple of half-chances for France. First Diani has a shot charged down, then Dali drags a better effort wide of the post. There isn’t much a pattern to this game yet, both sides trying to take advantage of scraps of broken play.
3 mins: Raso wastes a good counterattacking opportunity, dwelling in possession and finding her options closed down instead of taking the game on. She also eschewed the overlapping Carpenter, who tore fully 80m at full pelt to join in the forlorn move. I bet she’s thrilled about that.
2 mins: But it’s Australia with the first chance. The Matildas capitalised on some loose passes in the France defence with Kerr eventually sent clear behind, but facing away from goal. Her cutback fails to find a target and the visitors smuggle clear unconvincingly.
1 min: Australia get the ball rolling by pinging a massive long diagonal from the centre of defence to the right wing and out for a France throw. Hopefully not a sign of things to come. France are the first to settle, getting the ball down and giving plenty of players in blue a touch.
Kick-off!
The Women’s World Cup is 90 minutes away…
Australia will be in their trademark gold jerseys, green shorts and white socks. France top to toe in blue.
The Welcome to Country was a powerfully delivered statement, enhanced by the presence of first nations former internationals on the podium. The anthems were as you’d expect with the stirring La Marseillaise making Australia’s effort sound like a twee nursery rhyme.
Updated
The two sides make their way up the race and into a raucous Marvel Stadium. This is a special moment for women’s football in Australia.
Updated
Prêtes pour le dernier match de préparation avant la Coupe du Monde ⚔️🔥#AUSFRA #FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/JXbSFASABr
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) July 13, 2023
By the same token, I’d like to see France play a composed, slow tempo, low block, to ask exactly the kind of questions the Matildas don’t want to answer. Spain passed them to distraction in February with a B team and Australia need to figure out how to respond to those challenges. They will face opponents in the World Cup whose focus is on retaining possession and grinding through a game with multiple stoppages, doing their best to deny that high octane momentum that makes the Matildas look so threatening at their best.
Updated
There’s going to be plenty of energy from the stands tonight, and lots of expectations around how the Matildas should play. I would like to see them channel that and go full throttle. Take full advantage of the pace of Carpenter, Vine and Raso, and make a statement to France and the rest of the World Cup they’re here to play a certain way, and that way is a million miles per hour. Light the blue touch paper and watch the fireworks.
Updated
This is very good content. This World Cup really does feel like a tipping point in the perception of women’s football to uninitiated audiences.
You’ve gotta see this.
— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) July 12, 2023
In full.
Football is football. Sport is sport.
End of story.
Get into sport played by women, and the phenomenal athletes in the @FIFAWWC
Copyright @orangefrance pic.twitter.com/PUm7zkmrBI
France XI
Joyeux quatorze Juillet mes amis Français! Les Bleues also go in with close to their best XI. It’s a side dominated at the back by the powerful Wendie Renard, one of the stars of the past decade, and at the front by goal machine Eugénie Le Sommer. The Lyon pair may well be heading to their final World Cup, and desperate to do well.
France (4-3-3) : Pevraud-Magnin (GK), Lakrar, Renard, De Almedia, Karchaoui / Geyoro, Toletti, Dali / Diani, Le Sommer, Bacha.
Le 1⃣1⃣ tricolore pour ce dernier match de préparation ⚔️
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) July 14, 2023
📺Coup d'envoi à 11h30 sur @W9
🇦🇺🇫🇷 | #AUSFRA | #FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/8Zh11sPYcJ
Updated
Australia XI
Gustavsson said he wasn’t going to mess around with his team selection tonight, and he has been true to his word. The starting XI is as expected, and includes the returning Alanna Kennedy for the first time since September. The back four will be the focus of attention with Kennedy partnered by the inexperienced Clare Hunt, while Clare Polkinghorne nurses a foot injury. Both will be delighted that on their outside they find the class of Ellie Carpenter and Steph Catley.
Australia: (4-4-2) Arnold (GK), Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley / Raso, Cooney-Cross, Gorry Vine / Kerr, Foord.
STARTING XI 🗒
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 14, 2023
Here's how we line up against France in front of a sold-out crowd at Marvel Stadium! 💪
⏰: 7:30 pm AEST
📺💻📱: 10 Bold @10footballau#Matildas #AUSvFRA pic.twitter.com/eqdh4pTItQ
Updated
It’s been a chilly midwinter’s day in Melbourne but the frigid air and howling gale will not penetrate a Marvel Stadium with its roof closed. There are expected to be around 50,000 fans crammed inside - which would set a new record for a standalone Matildas fixture.
Excited fans braving the wind as they head to Marvel stadium for the #Matildas send-off match @JPHowcroft #AUSvFRA pic.twitter.com/AVMrRwkN53
— Jo Khan (@_jokhan) July 14, 2023
Then we have a focus on the World Cup debutants:
As well as the full squad overview:
With the World Cup around the corner, there’s plenty of Matildas content to chew over while we wait for kick-off.
There are recent features on Katrina Gorry:
Kyah Simon:
And my personal favourite (and new Real Madrid signing) Hayley Raso:
It’s finally time. 23 different paths led to this… 🛣️
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) July 3, 2023
This is 𝗢𝗨𝗥 country, 𝗢𝗨𝗥 World Cup and this is 𝗢𝗨𝗥 squad! 🌏🏆#FIFAWWC #TilitsDone pic.twitter.com/O2nQEve5Zy
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v France from Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium. Kick-off in this World Cup send-off is 7.30pm.
With the World Cup kicking off in under a week, tonight offers one last precious opportunity for Tony Gustavsson and Hervé Renard to work through their options before the serious action begins. Tenth-ranked Australia and fifth-ranked France will consider themselves among the contenders for the biggest prize in the sport. The Matildas, on home soil, are unlikely to ever have a better opportunity.
And they are rising to the occasion nicely. After a long bedding-in period under Gustavsson, performances and results have started to come good. Eight wins from nine matches, dating back to last October are testament to the progress, a run featuring five clean sheets, an away win to European champions England, and the development of impressive squad depth. Another win tonight will light the blue touch paper on the most eagerly anticipated World Cup campaign in Australian history - male or female.
After a tumultuous few months last year, France are also peaking just at the right time under the experience of men’s World Cup specialist Renard. Les Bleus are unbeaten in seven - a stretch featuring six wins - as the squad returns to normality, just as it seemed their World Cup hopes would be wrecked by infighting. Bastille Day offers an ideal opportunity to channel that revolutionary spirit.
I’ll be back with teams news and insights from the two camps shortly. If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email.
