Women’s World Cup 2023: Why Matildas’ defender Ellie Carpenter sees France as the perfect test

The Matildas have one last chance to hone their World Cup preparation against one of the tournament’s leading contenders — will it end with more questions or answers?

Damaris Egurrola of Olympique Lyon and Ellie Carpenter.

It is the final piece in Matildas’ coach Tony Gustavsson’s World Cup plan — a send-off match against fifth ranked France — and star defender Ellie Carpenter knows the attacking force of the French better than anyone.

Gustavsson’s Matildas have played eight top 10 teams in their World Cup lead-up. Friday’s match with France makes it nine.

His last chance to test the 23-woman squad before their opening World Cup clash with Ireland next week, Australia and France have faced off seven times – with three wins each and a draw.

But a Gustavsson-coached Matildas side are yet to do battle with Les Bleus. Last time the two sides went head to head was in 2018 with France winning 2-0.

Two years later, in 2020, Carpenter joined French powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais, where she plays alongside half the French national team.

Ellie Carpenter is counting down the FIFA Women's World Cup. Photo: Rebel Sport/Nike

Carpenter’s inner knowledge of her French adversaries may give the Matildas an edge when it comes to Friday’s match, but more importantly, the defender believes the friendly would give the team an indication of any last minute changes that need to be made.

“This game is really going to show where we are at and what we can bring to this tournament,” said Carpenter, speaking as a Rebel Sport ambassador.

“You always want to win that send off game to get off to a good start.”

The French side for their part have had a rocky year off the field.

Their coach Corinne Diacre was sacked in March after captain Wendie Renard said she would pull out of the World Cup if the coach wasn’t removed.

Herve Renard, the former Saudi Arabia men’s coach, took over the job and hit the ground running, celebrating a 2-1 win over Olympic champions Canada less than a month later.

They have also had wins against Columbia, Uruguay, Norway and faced Australia’s first World Cup opponent Ireland in a friendly match on July 7, winning the game 3-0.

Carpenter in action for Lyon against PSG. Picture: Franck Fife/AFP

France’s form have them on Carpenter’s radar as a serious threat to winning the World Cup.

“I honestly have France in my top four this World Cup,” Carpenter said.

“They have world-class players in every position and they also just got a new coach and I think that really inserted a buzz into the camp.

“Everyone wants to prove themselves when a new coach comes in.

“I think they’re going to be really good. Obviously attacking wise they are world class and also defending wise too — so all over the pitch they are really solid.

“It will be the perfect test for us.”

Carpenter believes France will be the perfect test of the Matildas’ World Cup readiness. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images

The send-off match, like each of the Matildas’ group stage World Cup games, is a sellout.

A fact Carpenter said was mind-boggling.

“It was so hard to even find a women’s game on TV (when I was a girl),” Carpenter said.

“I went to a Matildas game and there were maybe 100 people in the stands. It’s just crazy to see how much the game has changed in 10 years.

“One main thing we want to do at this World Cup is to leave a legacy and hopefully get an equal participation rate in women and men and boys and girls playing football. Our goal is 400,000 girls to play, it would be really cool if we could achieve that.”

Carpenter is working hard off the field to help bring this mission to life through a program, launched by Rebel Sport and Nike, called GoalGirls.

The program features a range of video tutorials, starring Carpenter, with the aim of introducing girls to key skills and give them the confidence to join a local team.

Carpenter said she has filmed a range of videos from warms up, ball mastery skills and even a special tutorial on how to defend just like her.

“It kind of shows how I like to defend, how to best defend an attack or a winger and I also like to attack so it includes an attacking move with a goal or a pass at the end.

“I would have loved to have an idol or a Matilda showing me how to do that when I was a girl.”

Registrations launch July 13 atrebelsport.com.au

Originally published as Women’s World Cup 2023: Why Matildas’ defender Ellie Carpenter sees France as the perfect test