Matildas sent off to World Cup in style with victory over world No.5 France

The Matildas have completed their final preparations before the World Cup kicks off next week with a 1-0 victory over world No.5 France in front of a record-breaking crowd of 50,629 at Marvel Stadium.

It’s their latest scalp against a top-10 outfit after ending England’s 30-game winning streak in April with a shock 2-0 victory.

Australia’s Mary Fowler scores a goal against France in send-off friendly.Credit: Getty

The bumper crowd surpassed the biggest attendance for a standalone women’s soccer match in Australia, previously held by the Matildas when they played the United States in 2021 in front of 36,109 people at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium.

Australia handed France their first defeat under new coach Herve Renard, who took over in March this year following player disputes with former manager Corinne Diacre. Les Bleues had gone three from three under him against Olympic champions Canada, Colombia and the Republic of Ireland, their last friendly before they arrived in Australia on Monday.

But they have been sent a warning on the eve of the major tournament as Australia had the better of the occasion in front of a raucous green and gold crowd.

Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson said taking a step back from the result, the performance and way in which they won was a culmination of the investment and work of the last two years, including building depth through blooding young players against top-tier opposition.

“Tonight I think represent the final step of that process and in that journey in preparing for the World Cup,” said Gustavsson post-win.

“If we look at tonight, we had 16 players on the park. It was nil-nil when our captain Sam steps off, Caitlin steps off, our vice captain Steph Catley steps off and we can still compete with the top European opposition. And it’s thanks to the patience and to belief in the process from everyone.”

He added the side now have five wins against European oppositions, four top-10 ranked victories in a row and clean sheets six out of the last eight games, including against Sweden, England and France.

“We know we can score against anyone,” he said. But added: “That doesn’t mean anything on the 20th when we going to play Ireland because that’s tournament mode. That’s something different, this was preparation.”

The game’s solitary goal came at the 66-minute mark. Hayley Raso crossed inside to square the ball and found an unmarked Mary Fowler waiting to shoot it home. Fowler came on for the second half as a game-changer.

The Matildas celebrate victory during the International Friendly match at Marvel Stadium.Credit: Getty Images

Australia showed a lot of promise and played the attacking style Gustavsson has been promising for the past three years. The crowd erupted whenever Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord or Sydney FC forward Cortnee Vine made a run towards goal with a high-paced counterattack, but the Matildas often lacked a key pass, last touch or shot to finish the job. In the opening half, France had eight shots to Australia’s two.

At times this came down to moments of hesitation, something fans would be hoping the Matildas get out of their system before their tournament officially begins.

“At half-time, we felt it wasn’t a nil-nil half. We felt we created enough opportunities into the final third to be up one or two goals but that final timed run or pass or the final touch wasn’t really there,” said Gustavsson.

However, Gustavsson said he was pleased the side didn’t panic or get stressed, but stuck to the game plan and were patient.

About the goal, Fowler said: “I can’t even remember what I was thinking about. I always forget to celebrate.

“It all happens so fast then I look back and say, ‘Why didn’t I do something?’ I feel like it just happens in the moment when you are not thinking, you are just happy.”

The two sides’ captains and experienced players, French defender Wendie Renard and Australian striker Kerr, featured in an entertaining and fierce match-up, which gave the other a good test in a sign of what’s to come over the next month.

Australia’s Sam Kerr and France’s Wendie Renard compete for the ball.Credit: Getty

There were a few interesting substitutions as Gustavsson wanted to give as many players as possible game time in the final dress rehearsal. Fowler started on the bench but was the obvious spark for the latter stages of the match. She replaced Vine, who was subbed off despite an impressive first half.

Foord substituted off for midfielder Tameka Yallop, who came off again not long after looking to hurt her knee – potentially a jarring – and had it strapped with ice on the bench. She was replaced by Aivi Luik.

Emily van Egmond was brought in to replace Kerr, Alanna Kennedy was taken off for Australia’s most-capped player Clare Polkinghorne and Steph Catley retreated to the bench, replaced by young defender Courtney Nevin.

As expected, Kyah Simon didn’t feature on Friday night as she continues a careful comeback after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee last October.

There was a moment of worry from both camps in the opening half as Australian defender Catley and French forward Kadidiatou Diani clashed heads following a French clearing of a corner. Each player was assessed on field, Diani more than Catley, but were back on their feet minutes later.

In bad news for France, Selma Bacha was stretched off minutes after going to ground not long before the final whistle.

Kerr also was shown with ice on her hamstring at the game’s end but Gustavsson stressed post-match her sub was pre-planned and any measures precautionary.

France’s Sarkina Karchaoui received a yellow card for slamming Foord to the ground as she tried to turn away with the ball.

While the match was key to World Cup preparations, it was also a celebration of women’s soccer on the eve of what’s set to be the most attended standalone women’s sporting event in history, with more than 1 million tickets already sold for tournament.

The fans packed Melbourne’s Docklands venue.Credit: Getty Images

Gustavsson said earlier this week he wanted the side to use the match to connect with fans and draw strength from the home crowd to take into what will potentially be the biggest tournament of their lives.

“This is about emotional and the legacy that these players have already started to create,” Gustavsson said on Thursday. “And connect and unite the nation, to be excited, to have that buzz, it’s a little bit more like a celebration game in that sense.”

Australia play their opening World Cup game against Republic of Ireland next Thursday at Sydney’s Stadium Australia in what is set to be a sold out 83,000-strong crowd, while France first play Jamaica on July 23, at Allianz Stadium.

Depending on how the draw plays out, Australia and France could meet again in the quarter or semi-finals.

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