Final hit-out prior to the tournament of a lifetime brings mass excitement – along with one final chance for the Matildas to iron out pre-World Cup concerns, writes Matt Comito.
Since his unveiling as Matildas head coach in September 2020, Tony Gustavsson’s tenure has been gearing up to one event: the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
It feels like an age since his appointment, but suddenly we have arrived at the precipice of an historic moment in Australian football history as Gustavsson’s Matildas, draped in green and gold, walk out in front of 80,000 fans at Stadium Australia for the very first World Cup fixture on Australian soil.
But before the World Cup begins comes one last friendly, a fixture touted as a World Cup “send off” for the CommBank Matildas against France at Marvel Stadium on Friday, July 14.
We’ve seen in the build-up to the World Cup that these final tournament tune-ups don’t always go according to plan (case in point: World No.2 Germany’s 3-2 loss to World No.77 Zambia this week).
For Australia, a clash with fifth-ranked France shapes as a perfect chance for Gustavsson not only to test his side against one of the world’s best, but to answer any final questions of his squad he may be pondering in the build-up to the World Cup.
MATCH DETAILS
Australia v France
Date: Friday, 14 July 2023
Venue: Marvel Stadium
Kick-Off: 7:30 pm AEST
Broadcast: 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+
You can tune in to the Matildas’ clash with France live and free on 10 Bold, 10 Play and Paramount+.
Thinking of going to the game? The Matildas announced the release of 500 additional tickets on Monday.
BURNING QUESTIONS
Who will start in goal?
The starting role in between the sticks appears to be Mackenzie Arnold’s to lose after the West Ham custodian shone for the Matildas in the Cup of Nations in early 2023. She earned Player of the Tournament honours for her exploits, conceding just two goals across three games and keeping two clean sheets.
Lydia Williams is the experienced campaigner among the Matildas goalkeepers; the 35-year-old is off to her fifth World Cup. Teagan Micah looked next in line for Matildas No.1 duty after being entrusted with the starting role at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – but a horror run with concussion stretching back to December, 2022 kept Micah out of action. Arnold has excelled in the meantime; she’s the hot favourite to play from the start against the Republic of Ireland on July 20 and donning the gloves against France will only reaffirm that line of thought.
Swathe of pre-tournament injuries put to the test
Kyah Simon isn’t the only Matilda coming into camp after a restricted build-up to the World Cup, and Friday night’s clash with France could be pivotal to a number of players’ respective preparations.
Clare Polkinghorne has not played since April; the record-holding Australian international appearance-maker has been nursing an ankle injury – as has Tameka Yallop who had surgery on her ankle in early 2023. Alanna Kennedy has spent the past nine months sidelined for various injuries including a broken shoulder and repeat calf injuries – the centre-back hasn’t played for the Matildas since September 2022.
Tameka Yallop, Mary Fowler and Emily van Egmond have all experienced an injury-interrupted journey to the World Cup, along with Micah whose concussion recovery took six months and only recently came to an end.
These are some of Australia’s most important players. Earning minutes against France could be vital for each of these players to earn the confidence of Gustavsson, and to instil some confidence in themselves and their own bodies that they’re ready for the tournament.
Does Charlotte Grant start – and if so, where?
Charlotte Grant’s incredible rise has been one of the great stories of this World Cup cycle. The 21-year-old Adelaide United product has gone from an international debutant in 2021 to become one Gustavsson’s most important squad members by filling sizable gaps left by Ellie Carpenter and Steph Catley at full-back whenever each of the star defenders have been sidelined by injury.
Grant was first filling in for Carpenter on the right side of defence as she recuperated from an ACL tear. Carpenter’s return in April coincided with an injury to Catley that ruled the left-back out of two friendlies against Scotland and England; Grant moved to the left side of defence, and scored her first international goal in a win over the Lionesses.
Friday night’s game against France is the first time both Catley and Carpenter have been available for selection since Grant’s ascension to a genuine starter in her own right. Grant is only arriving in camp from club duty on Tuesday evening (AEST); it’s likely for Gustavsson to play Catley and Carpenter from the start against France – but the head coach who arguably values his “finishing XI” as highly as his “starting XI” could tinker with some creative solutions to get all three on the park in the second half.
Pushing either Grant or Carpenter forward into a right-wing position is one creative solution he could look to utilise.
SQUADS
Australia
Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold (West Ham), Teagan Micah (FC Rosengard), Lydia Williams (Brighton)
Defenders: Ellie Carpenter (Lyon), Steph Catley (Arsenal), Charlotte Grant (Vittsjo GIK), Clare Hunt (Western Sydney Wanderers), Alanna Kennedy (Manchester City), Aivi Luik (BK Hacken), Courtney Nevin (Leicester City), Clare Polkinghorne (Vittsjo GIK),
Midfielders: Alex Chidiac (Racing Louisville), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Hammarby IF), Katrina Gorry (Vittsjo GIK), Emily Van Egmond (San Diego Wave), Clare Wheeler (Everton), Tameka Yallop (SK Brann)
Forwards: Caitlin Foord (Arsenal), Mary Fowler (Manchester City), Sam Kerr (Chelsea), Hayley Raso (unattached), Kyah Simon (unattached), Cortnee Vine (Sydney FC)
Coach: Tony Gustavsson
France
Goalkeepers: Solene Durand (Guingamp), Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Juventus), Constance Picaud (PSG)
Defenders: Selma Bacha (Lyon), Estelle Cascarino (Man Utd), Elisa De Almeida (PSG), Sakina Karchaoui (PSG), Maelle Lakrar (Montpellier), Eve Perisset (Chelsea), Wendie Renard (Lyon), Aissatou Tounkara (Manchester United)
Midfielders: Kenza Dali (Aston Villa), Laurina Fazer (PSG), Grace Geyoro (PSG), Lea Le Garrec (FC Fleury), Amel Majri (Lyon), Sandie Toletti (Real Madrid)
Forwards: Viviane Asseyi (West Ham), Vicki Becho (Lyon), Kadidiatou Diani (PSG), Naomie Feller (Real Madrid), Eugenie Le Sommer (Lyon), Clara Mateo (Paris FC)
Standby players: Mylene Chavas (Bordeaux)
Coach: Herve Renard
FRANCE VIEW
Les Blues are revitalised under new head coach Herve Renard, who took over in March after the resignation of Corrine Diacre, a manager multiple players were refusing to play under at the time of her exit – including captain Wendie Renard (of no relation to Herve).
The French Football Federation’s internal review found an “irreversible rift” between both Diacre and the squad in the final days of her tenure; Herve Renard’s takeover has resulted in the likes of Wendie Renard and Kadidiatou Diani returning to the fold. This is a team united once more in pursuit of silverware, a squad propelled forward by the hurt of a semi-final exit at last year’s UEFA Euros.
Head-to-head
The Matildas and Les Blues have faced off on seven occasions, and the ledger is perfectly balanced heading into Friday night’s friendly. Both nations have won three games apiece against one another with the seventh ending in a draw.
These two nations are yet to face off throughout Gustavsson’s tenure as Matildas boss.
Star players
Wendie Renard is the France captain preparing for her fourth World Cup. The esteemed central defender with exceptional physical attributes, a deft skillset and an eye for goal from a set piece has accrued 15 domestic titles at club level in France, to go with eight European Cups. Renard is one of the biggest names set to take part at the World Cup.
Renard’s Olympique Lyonnais teammate Selma Bacha is another key figure to watch on Friday night, purely for the entertainment value posed by her potential matchup against fellow Lyon full-back and Matildas star Ellie Carpenter.
Carpenter and Bacha often occupy the right and left-back positions in Lyon’s lineup respectively. They’re two full-backs posing serious attacking threat and it will be gripping viewing should they go head-to-head at Marvel Stadium.
