Australia beat world number 5 France 1-0 thanks to a Mary Fowler goal in front of a record crowd of over 50,000, but Tameka Yallop comes off injured.
The Matildas will head into the Women’s World Cup with plenty of confidence after Mary Fowler posted a hard-fought 1-0 win over France in their last warm-up match.
Australia had struggled to find an advantage against the world number 5 team in the final third, in front of a record home crowd of 50,629 at Marvel Stadium, until the 20-year-old Fowler coolly dispatched the lone goal in the 66th minute. .
But six days before their opener against Ireland, Australia will be sweating over the fitness of veteran Tameka Yallop.
The Matildas will head into the Women’s World Cup with plenty of confidence after Mary Fowler posted a hard-fought 1-0 win over France in their last warm-up match.
Australia had struggled to find an advantage against the world number 5 team in the final third, in front of a record home crowd of 50,629 at Marvel Stadium, until the 20-year-old Fowler coolly dispatched the lone goal in the 66th minute. .
Yallop’s left knee hyperextended when she challenged for the ball in the 74th minute and she was substituted eight minutes later, although manager Tony Gustavsson indicated that she would have continued to play if it were a World Cup match.
Probably what pleased Gustavsson the most was that the goal came after Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord had already left, four minutes earlier.
Kyra Cooney-Cross weaved past Hayley Raso down the right and the winger stepped up and sliced the ball for Fowler.
Fowler, who is recovering from a broken back, took a lovely touch and finished smoothly to his left.
“We felt we created enough chances in the final third to be one or two goals up,” Gustavsson said.
“But that final moment of a pass or run or the final touch wasn’t really there.
“Raso’s final pass (was) straight from the training ground… his presence when he runs with that speed to look up and see that Mary is open and then the quality of that pass and the finish of Mary is obviously something with which we are very satisfied”. .
“But I am also satisfied with the patience of the players.”
Fowler, who is recovering from a broken back, took a lovely touch and finished smoothly to his left.
Fowler enjoyed his instinctive finishing after linking up with former Manchester City teammate Fowler.
“I saw her run and I thought I was in a lot of space and then she touched me and I was like ‘oh no,'” Fowler told reporters.
‘But then she still played it. You don’t really think about those moments, you just do it.
“I just took a bunt and said, ‘You better score,’ and I did.”
Defender Alanna Kennedy started in her first cap since Sept. 3.
Kennedy, who has battled multiple injuries over the past year, replaced Clare Polkinghorne as Clare Hunt’s central defensive partner, and the pair were very impressed.
Six days before their opener against Ireland, Australia will sweat over the fitness of veteran Tameka Yallop.
Through the first 60 minutes, a creative Australia were disappointed by their last ball and had to fight to block three strong France attempts from Selma Bacha, Grace Geyoro and Kadidiatou Diani.
‘Congratulations to Australia. I think they deserved to win this game, but it’s just a warm-up game,” France coach Herve Renard told reporters.
“Sometimes you can lose the first game in the World Cup and then be world champions.”
France star Selma Bacha (ankle) was stretchered off in the closing stages.
“I can’t tell you anything else because now it’s swelling and we have to wait for the tests and be patient and optimistic,” Renard said.
