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Record scenes as Matildas beat France in Women’s World Cup warm up

The Matildas have stunned France a week out from the FIFA Women’s World Cup as Australia went berserk over the scenes at Marvel Stadium.

Andrew McMurtryAndrew McMurtry
@AndrewMcMurtry
6 min read
July 14, 2023 - 10:25PM
Mary Fowler has done it again. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Mary Fowler has done it again. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

If the scenes at Marvel Stadium are anything to go by, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia is going to be insane.

The Matildas’ final hit out before the start of the tournament will go down as a win after a Mary Fowler strike secured a 1-0 win over the World No. 5 French team.

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But the score almost didn’t matter in the final match before the World Cup kicks off as Australia went wild for the Matildas in what is just a taste of things.

A record home crowd for a Matildas game of 50,629 piled into Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, eclipsing the previous record for a Matildas home game of 36,109 set in 2021 against the USA in Sydney.

And the record will last just under a week with next week’s tournament opener at Sydney’s Accor Stadium already sold out.

What scenes at Marvel Stadium. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
What scenes at Marvel Stadium. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

The former Sydney 2000 Olympic stadium has a current capacity of 80,000 and it’ll be a sight to see as another sign of just how far women’s sport has come in this country.

While it wasn’t the perfect performance, there was nothing but pride on the line in the match and Australia can be proud of where the women’s game is now.

However, it was an opportunity for Australia to blow the cobwebs out after having not played since the 2-0 win over England in April and also means the Matildas have won nine of their last 10 matches.

After the game, Australian captain Sam Kerr, who was subbed out after 62 minutes, was happy with the hitout.

“It was always going to be an important game, they’re a great team and I thought we put in a great performance,” she said.

“But this is all about the journey and all about building confidence for next week.”

The Matildas are ready. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
The Matildas are ready. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Asked what she learned from the performance, Kerr said: “We’re bloody quick.”

“We’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time and it’s a dream come true bringing the World Cup to Oz and this crowd’s been amazing and this is why we do it — for the fans,” Kerr added.

“It’s been an unbelievable week and hopefully an unbelievable month to come.”

However, it wasn’t the perfect match with both sides suffering injuries.

French winger Selma Bacha appeared to suffer a serious ankle injury in stoppage time and was stretchered off in tears with her dream of a first World Cup in tatters, while Tameka Yallop will also face a nervous wait after hyperextending her knee during the second half, forcing her from the field only 20 minutes after she had entered as a substitute.

The Matildas looked the more threatening team for most of the first half but failed to complete their passes in the final third, only managing two shots at goal.

Caitlin Foord danced around French defenders several times in a warning shot to Australia’s World Cup opposition, but failed to finish her work as Hayley Raso and Cortnee Vine encountered similar issues despite burning their opponents with their speed.

Alanna Kennedy was paired with Clare Hunt in central defence for the first time and played nearly 80 minutes, suggesting the Man City defender has bounced back from a horror spate of injuries well enough to win back her starting spot from fellow veteran Clare Polkinghorne.

With Ed Bourke, NCA Newswire

9.14pm — Record crowd officially in the books

It may just be a friendly but the crowd at Marvel Stadium is officially the biggest ever at a Matildas home match.

A crowd of 50,629 packed into Marvel Stadium, eclipsing the previous record of 36,109 for a match against the US at Accor Stadium in 2021.

However, the record will stand for just a week as next Thursday, more than 80,000 are expected to pack Accor Stadium for the Matildas’ opening game of the Women’s World Cup.

8.58pm — MATILDA’S SCORE!

Mary Fowler scored for Australia. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Mary Fowler scored for Australia. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The Matildas have flipped the game on its head with Mary Fowler opening the scoring.

France were starting to get the upper hand and seemed like it would be just a matter of time, but the Matildas have pulled off a phenomenal moment.

As Kyra Cooney-Cross found Hayley Raso on the edge of the box, a cut back found Fowler unmarked and the 20-year-old made no mistake to give the Matildas the 1-0 lead.

8.55pm — Matildas get away with murder

While we haven’t done any updates, it’s not because of a lack of action.

It’s been end to end stuff from Marvel Stadium but still, no one has troubled the scoreboard, although they’ve gone damn close.

The Matildas were very lucky however, lucky to not give away a penalty in the box in this moment.

8.22pm — Halftime: Matildas 0 – France 0

It’s been an enthralling first half. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
It’s been an enthralling first half. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

After 45 minutes (plus three more of injury time) it’s still a scoreless draw from Marvel Stadium in front of a packed house.

There’s been plenty of chances each way with the Matildas getting both of their two shots on target.

While the Matildas shots have been limited, the home side has been putting plenty of pressure on but been unable to find the final strike.

France has had eight shots for the half and had 56 per cent of possession but you’d have to argue it was pretty even.

8.16pm — Yellow card for France

Sakina Karchaoui has been handed a yellow card as the “friendly” gets a bit spicy in the 43rd minute.

It’s a good sign for the upcoming World Cup because there’s been plenty of action in the first half and plenty of feeling.

If this is what it’ll be like, Australia and New Zealand are in for a treat.

0-all after 43 minutes.

7.53pm — Matildas survive scares

Kadidiatou Diani competes with Caitlin Foord for the ball. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Kadidiatou Diani competes with Caitlin Foord for the ball. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

The Matildas have been making plenty of chances but France have showed they’re not going to take a backwards step.

Having been patient, the French have had a pair of strong shots.

After the Matildas turned the ball over midfield, France had a strong shot on Mackenzie Arnold in goals with the Aussie keeper turning the ball away.

However, France didn’t have to wait too long for another shot, only to be turned away by the Matildas defence.

They were tense moments despite it being a friendly.

0-all after 20 minutes.

7.43pm — Matildas getting some chances

Both sides have had early chances with Australia’s arguably the best.

A through ball to Sam Kerr went slightly too far and the Aussie skipper couldn’t find a target with her cutback.

But it’s been a promising start.

France have also showed they’re not No. 5 in the world for nothing, having put plenty of pressure on early.

After 10 minutes, it’s 0-all.

7.33pm — And we’re underway

The monster crowd is in and we’re underway in the Matildas’ final match before their World Cup opener against the Republic of Ireland at Accor Stadium next Thursday night.

7pm — ‘Here we go again’: Matildas TV snub

Australia is right behind the Matildas less than a week out from the start of the Women’s World Cup but Channel 10 hasn’t come to the party.

With Channel 7 holding the rights for the World Cup, it was Channel 10’s chance to put the match in prime time on its main channel but instead, football fans will be flocking to 10 Bold for the match.

While it is the modern age and plenty of fans will be streaming the clash ahead of the match, it's a bit of a slap in the face for the national team ahead of what’s expected to be a monumental moment for sport in this country.

SMH football reporter Vince Rugari was puzzled.

After being called out on it still being available on free-to-air TV at a time when the secondary channels are no longer a novelty, Rugari tweeted: “The complaint is that the biggest Matildas match that 10 will ever have the rights to won’t get the biggest audience possible. Nobody on my end is complaining about anything else other than that. We all remember how things used to be dude, that’s not what this is.”

For the record, in Sydney, the main 10 channel had The Project between 6.30pm-7.30pm, Location, Location, Location Australia from 7.30pm, a repeat of Have You Been Paying Attention? from 8.30pm and The Graham Norton Show from 9.30pm in all but Perth.

Perth was still on 10 News First between 5pm and 6.30pm due to the time zone but would then follow the same schedule.

The Matildas start their World Cup campaign next Thursday night against the Republic of Ireland.

While the crowd at Marvel Stadium, which is believed to be more than 50,000, will be a record for a Matilda’s home game, it’ll be blown out of the water next week when the Matildas play at Accor Stadium in Sydney, which has an 80,000-seat capacity.

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Originally published as Record scenes as Matildas beat France in Women’s World Cup warm up

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/football/matildas-vs-france-live/news-story/baafe9a6079e23a1d1ddc10642296a56