The Matildas will head into the Women’s World Cup high on confidence after Mary Fowler delivered a hard-fought 1-0 victory over France in their final tune-up match.
Australia had struggled to find a cutting edge against the world No.5 side in the final third, in front of a record home crowd of 50,629 at Marvel Stadium, until 20-year-old Fowler coolly dispatched the only goal in the 66th minute.
But six days out from their opening match against Ireland, Australia will sweat on the fitness of veteran Tameka Yallop.
Yallop’s left knee hyperextended when she challenged for the ball in the 74th minute and she was substituted eight minutes later – though coach Tony Gustavsson indicated she would have kept playing if it was a World Cup match.
Surely particularly pleasing for Gustavsson was that the goal arrived after Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord had already come off, four minutes earlier.
Kyra Cooney-Cross slipped through Hayley Raso on the right and the winger burst forward and cut the ball back for Fowler.
Fowler, who has recovered from a fractured back, took a lovely touch and smoothly finished on her left.
“We felt we created enough opportunities into the final third to be up one or two goals,” Gustavsson said.
“But that final timing of a pass or run or the final touch wasn’t really there.
“Raso’s final pass (was) straight from the training ground … her presence when she’s running with that speed to look up and see that Mary’s open and then the quality of that pass and Mary’s finish is obviously something we’re very pleased with.
“But I’m also pleased with the players’ patience.”
Fowler delighted in her instinctive finish after linking up with former Manchester City teammate Fowler.
“I saw her running and I was like I’m in so much space and then she took a touch and I was like ‘oh no’,” Fowler told reporters.
“But then she still played it. You don’t really think in those moments, you just do it.
“I just took a touch and I was like ‘you better score’, and I did.”
Defender Alanna Kennedy started in her first international since September 3.
Kennedy, who has fought through multiple injuries over the past year, replaced Clare Polkinghorne as Clare Hunt’s central defensive partner – and the pair largely impressed.
For the first 60 minutes, a creative Australia were let down by their final ball, and had to scramble to block three strong France efforts from Selma Bacha, Grace Geyoro and Kadidiatou Diani.
“Congratulations to Australia. I think they deserved to win this game but it’s only a preparation game,” France coach Herve Renard told reporters.
“Sometimes you can lose the first game in the World Cup and then be champions of the world.”
France star Selma Bacha (ankle) was stretchered off in the closing stages.
“I can’t tell you anything more because now it’s swelling and we have to wait for the exams and just to be patient and be optimistic,” Renard said.
Mary Fowler celebrates scoring a goal. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The Matildas were also winners off the field, with a record-breaking home crowd of 50,629 fans on hand at Marvel Stadium.
It eclipsed the previous mark of 36,109, set in a 2021 friendly against USA.
The record is certain to be smashed again when the Matildas open their WWC campaign against the Republic of Ireland at Sydney’s 82,000-seat Accor Stadium on Thursday.
Australian star Foord wants Australian fans to use their voices, as well as their feet.
“It was good obviously to have that many people, but I do hope going into next week and the weeks after that it’s louder,” Foord said.
“We need to hear them and I do hope that ramps up going into the World Cup.
“Obviously, when we scored it was loud – but we need it to be louder.”
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
FIFA sold the rights to Optus not Seven, there would not be a contract between them. Seven are only showing a quarter of the matches as well. Channel 10 even when they had a huge ticket item Socceroos vs Peru play off it still took them a couple of days to get the promos going and then only after observing the huge reaction to the previous play off. What about the contra in the broadcast contract with Channel 10 how is that written up. They seem to be using some sort of dodgy loophole to get around it. Whoever wrote the contract needs to be sacked, what I have noticed is you see them at odd hours. When you write a promotions contracts you can have something shown at midnight counting for the same as a prime time ad. If they were dumb enough to say its so many promos a week for example, not specifiy times of day and length, then thats why Channel 10 promos are on at odd hours and 5-10 seconds long.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Kerr's a striker, no reason to play her out wide. Her attempted assists came to nothing several times, just another handover. She's a striker, goal scorer.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Raso was all over that goal. The clip here doesn't show her first pass, a little chip to Cooney-Cross, then she accelerates to position for the pass back, then a beautifully placed pass to Fowler, not her only option but her best option. She is all over this, let's hope she keeps it up for the next month. Compare her assists top the attempted assist by a couple of our bigger name players. Raso Raso Raso, Oi Oi ,Oi
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
and were family friendly! It is always a huge gamble to take my 6 and 8 yr old to any match and sit anywhere behind the goals. We love to join in with the chants and songs but the last thing I need is for my 6 year old to sing "who ate all the pies" to his grade 1 teacher.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I think everyone on here agrees with that comment.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
yes, hopefully world cup sparks a greater and sustained effort to promote domestic leagues (mens and women). But i am not sure answer lies with ratings. I would like to see all games played at evening, to avoid heat, in a bid to get maximum crowds. This may mean a clash of tv timing for a few matches. I think sport will more likely prosper if it seen to get people to fill seats more so than last few years.
chris1
Roar Rookie
How about we have a soccer penalty box across a cricket ashes pitch or a soccer centre circle in the middle of an AFL ground?
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
I think everyone hates seeing old lines, but does it really matter, watch the game and enjoy it.
chris1
Roar Rookie
No I prefer they got rid of the lines. It can't be that hard can it?
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I would suggest that there is a contractual clause and if not met, FIFA takes a wad of extra cash
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Doubled up with laughter. Buy that man a cleansing beverage
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Couldn't agree more
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
That doesn't stop them having AFL promos all the time on Channel 7 though. Channel 7 is doing a lot better job as well on promoting the Matildas as well than Channel 10 has ever done football wise as well. The weird thing is the latest Giants promos, Pacific islander voice over, showing Africans as well, why are concentrating on the food though, 2 dollar chips as well.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Cooney-Cross is one of our best, and only 21
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Those are landing strip markings for Chinese troop carriers
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Para, mate I tend to agree. Raso is not an out and out goalscorer, that's Foord and Kerr. Raso's role is to use her pace, to get that ball up the line and cross it into the mixer. Fowler is also young, she has a lot of development to complete yet. Give here a few more years, with more club level playing time at City and she'll be a different product.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
They are also giving away free tickets in NZ. The question is why did FIFA choose to host so many matches in NZ with its small population. The problem with NZ it thinks rugby is a major sport whereas the only place its a major sport is in NZ and the Pacific Islands.
moe_syzlak
Roar Rookie
given the poor eyesight of your average sokkah fan, im surprised you lot can see them ... the anti-afl hysteria on here is equal parts amusing and embarrassing .... next we'll have football is life telling us dan andrews ordered the line markings remain visible because of some bizarre belt and road MOU clause
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
Setting a record crowd is embarrassing? Would you prefer the game to be at a smaller stadium to avoid old field markings?
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
There are NFL fields that have lines from soccer on the field, do people believe that the USA dont take NFL seriously? Could you see the lines for last nights game? This is all that is important.