This was published 5 months ago
Au revoir: Matildas to tackle France in Women’s World Cup send-off clash
By Vince Rugari and Marnie Vinall
The Matildas will head into the Women’s World Cup knowing exactly where they stand among Europe’s elite after locking in a friendly clash with France as their final hitout before the tournament begins.
The fixture will be played on Friday, July 14 – Bastille Day in France – at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, eight days before their World Cup opener against Ireland at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
Alex Chidiac celebrates a goal with Caitlin Foord during the Matildas’ Cup of Nations win over Jamaica.Credit: Getty
With Australia also to face England in London during the April international window, it means Tony Gustavsson’s side will have faced two of FIFA’s top five-ranked teams in the months leading up to the World Cup – keeping with his long-standing aim of arranging the toughest possible schedule for the team.
They will also have taken on every team in FIFA’s top 10, aside from North Korea, during Gustavsson’s reign as coach.
Football Australia CEO James Johnson said leading into the World Cup, Australia wanted to be the best-prepared team in the world as part of a high-performance strategy.
“By the time we play France … Matildas will have played all top nine FIFA-ranked teams, they played Spain, they played United States, Canada, Sweden, France, Germany, they played them all. So with this match, the Matildas will enter the competition as the best prepared team in the world,” he said.
While world No.5 Les Bleues will present the Matildas with a formidable challenge, they have also become the latest women’s national team to have become engulfed in an off-field dispute, joining Spain and Canada, whose players remain at loggerheads with their federations.
French national team captain Wendie Renard may not feature at the World Cup - unless their coach resigns.Credit: Getty
France’s most experienced player, captain Wendie Renard, announced last week that she would not feature at the Women’s World Cup to “preserve [her] mental health”, saying she could no longer support the “current system”, with reports later revealing she would not play unless coach Corinne Diacre was moved on.
Then two other players, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani, followed suit and announced they would be stepping away from the national team until changes are made.
Coach Corinne Diacre, who has been repeatedly criticised by French players over the years, is reportedly set to tender her resignation in response.
Matildas midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight said the progress of women’s soccer was ongoing globally but players across borders, including the Matildas, supported each other in pushing for change.
“It’s a process and players have to make these stances and I think it’s important for the growth of the game,” said Kellond-Knight.
“It is disappointing for the players that have to make these sacrifices but at the same time, it’s about looking about the next generation. We want to improve things and collectively all the players around the world, we support each other.”
She added the game against France would provide a dress rehearsal for the Matildas.
“It’s a perfect opportunity for us to test just six days before our first World Cup game. I think being able to play in such a big stadium and use that stadium will really test some of the players,” said Kellond-Knight.
“It’s pretty unusual [in] women’s sport to play in front of 60-80,000 fans. So, for me, I think that’s another challenge, like the communication on the field, we can test these things. So, I think I would encourage all the fans to get out here to really show us what a big atmosphere will be like, and what we’re going to experience in the World Cup.”
Gustavsson said having a “send-off match” against a team the calibre of France in Melbourne presented an opportunity to be dialled into the significance for the Women’s World Cup early.
“A dynamic, technically brilliant team over the years, France have been consistently one of the best nations in the world with incredible quality across all parts of their game. It will be one final challenge for us just days out from our World Cup opener, said Gustavsson.
“This ‘send-off match’ is an essential final piece of our two-year preparations for this tournament on home soil. Playing a big nation and World Cup contender in front of a large and vocal Melbourne crowd will not only provide the team with a send-off they will remember and be inspired by, but it will give us one final taste of what to expect just days later in our opening match against the Republic of Ireland.”
Australia and France have a tied head-to-head ledger in women’s internationals, with three wins apiece and a draw from seven meetings.
The Matildas will play only one other match in Melbourne during the Women’s World Cup – and at a smaller-capacity stadium, too, with their third Group B match against Canada to be played at AAMI Park. Organisers had sought for Marvel Stadium and the MCG to be part of Australia’s joint bid with New Zealand but could not reach an agreement with the AFL over access, ruling the Victorian capital out of any games beyond the quarter-final stage.
France has been drawn in Group F with Jamaica, Brazil and Panama for the World Cup.