Tournament co-hosts Australia play an enthralling encounter with flamboyant France in the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup 2023.
AUS-W vs FRA-W Match Details
Date: Saturday, 12 August 2023
Time: 12:30 (IST), 17:00 (ACT)
Venue: Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
AUS-W vs FRA-W Match Preview
Australia successfully overcame Denmark’s challenge to replace their last-16 elimination horror four years ago with a 2-0 win. There were no surprises this time as Mary Fowler played in a delightful pass for Caitlin Foord to score on the counter. The second goal came late in the 70th minute in the form of Hayley Raso who scored her third in the tournament. Her brace in the 4-0 win over Canada in the final group game saved Matildas from an early exit from the competition in the first place. With Sam Kerr also making her first appearance from a calf injury in the remaining 10 minutes, Australia are overwhelmed with good news at the moment having started the 2023 Women’s World Cup on certain issues to tackle. The co-hosts are also motivated and will be dreaming about the prospect of winning the whole thing. With some of the top teams sent packing including the holders USA and having already won against quarterfinal opposition France in the warm-up for the tournament. This will be the first meeting between the pair in the finals with Australia playing their fourth quarterfinals. Tony Gustavsson’s side are yet to win three games in the competition in a row carrying their best run of scoring goals and for the first time keeping back-to-back clean sheets. With such a high mood in the dressing room, they will not want to end it at this stage of the contest.
Like the Matildas, France also carry a scoring spree and mocked any upset prediction by thrashing giant-killers Morocco 4-0. The African nation beat the likes of South Korea and Colombia to make it to this stage but against the Les Bleues, they were simply outclassed. Being the first hat trick scorer at the Women’s World Cup from her country with her three goals against Panama, Kadidatou Diani opened the scoring in the last-16 clash inside 15 minutes. She then set up Kenza Dali’s lethal strike five minutes later and Eugenie Le Sommer to bag the first of her brace. France recorded their biggest margin of victory in the knockout stage of the competition and advanced to the quarterfinals for the fourth time. Their first such appearance was in 2011. Turned into a well-oiled machine under Herve Renard after defeating the likes of Brazil in the group stages, the side can now dream of the silverware that will put them on top of the world. Three hurdles remain before that with the co-hosts Australia being thrown in their way in the last-eight stage. France will face the challenge of a well-organized side with incredible home support something they have experienced in the recent friendly between the two. They are also hoping to avoid a third consecutive quarter-final exit by not letting the hostile atmosphere get the better of them this time.
Recent Form (Women’s World Cup)
AUS-W: WWLW
FRA-W: WWWD
AUS-W vs FRA-W Predicted Lineups
AUS-W: Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley; Raso, Gorry, Cooney-Cross, Van Egmond; Fowler, Foord
FRA-W: Peyraud-Magnin; Perisset, Lakrar, Renard, Karchaoui; Dali, Geyoro, Toletti, Bacha; Le Sommer; Diani
AUS-W vs FRA-W Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Arnold (Cr - 7.5, Pts - 137)
DEF: Catley (Cr - 9, Pts - 255), Lakrar (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 174), Karchaoui (Cr - 8, Pts - 151)
MID: Raso (Cr - 9, Pts - 255), Van Egmond (Cr - 8, Pts - 140), Dali (Cr - 7.5, Pts - 120), Bacha (Cr - 7, Pts - 100)
FW: Diani (Cr - 9, Pts - 317), Le Sommer (Cr - 9, Pts - 200), Foord (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 136),
Vice-captain: Hayley Raso or Le Sommer
Captain: Kadidatou Diani
