Australia vs France – Quarter-Final – Preview & Prediction | 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
THE FACTS
When is Australia vs France on and what time does it start? Australia vs France will take place on Saturday 12th August, 2023 – 08:00 (UK)
Where is Australia vs France taking place? Australia vs France will take place at Lang Park in Brisbane, Australia
Where can I get tickets for Australia vs France? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Australia vs France
What channel is Australia vs France on in the UK? Australia vs France will be televised live on ITV1
Where can I stream Australia vs France in the UK? Australia vs France can be streamed on ITVX
THE LOWDOWN
AUSTRALIA
- Momentum is a powerful tool in tournament football and Australia are using it to their advantage, backing up their 0-4 triumph over Canada to reach the knockout stage by knockout Denmark out by two goals to nil in the Round of 16.
- Striker Sam Kerr was brought off the bench for the final ten minutes of that match and Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson has publicly stated pre-match that Kerr will start this quarter-final if fully fit.
FRANCE
- France booked their place in a fourth successive FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-final in emphatic fashion, dominating Morocco and ultimately winning 4-0 in Adelaide, the joint-highest margin of victory across the Round of 16.
- Among the French goalscorers was Lyon forward Kadidiatou Diani, who has now found the net four times across the tournament so far, keeping her well in the race for the golden boot.
THE TEAM NEWS
AUSTRALIA
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Arnold; Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley; Raso, Cooney-Cross, Gorry, Foord; Fowler, Kerr
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
FRANCE
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Peyraud Magnin; Perisset, Renard, de Almeida Karchaoui; Dali, Geyoro, Toletti, Bacha; Le Sommer, Diani
UNAVAILABLE: Henry (Injured), Katoto (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE KEY STATS
- This is the ninth meeting between these two nations. Australia have a slender lead in their head-to-head record with four wins to three. Australia have won all their previous three encounters in Australia, including most recently, a 1-0 victory in a friendly match just under a week before the start of the 2023 finals.
- Australia are aiming to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time having exited in the quarter-finals on three previous occasions (2007, 2011 and 2015).
- Australia have won five and drawn one of their last seven FIFA Women’s World Cup matches (W5 D1 L1).
- A win for Australia would see them record three successive wins in the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time.
- Australia have scored nine goals at the 2023 finals equalling their previous best in a single edition which they achieved in 2007 and 2019.
- France’s only success at this stage of the competition previously is a penalty shoot-out victory against England in 2011. They lost out on penalties against Germany four years later and were edged out 2-1 by the USA on home soil in 2019.
- France have won nine and drawn two of their last 12 FIFA Women’s World Cup matches (W9 D2 L1).
- France have scored 12 goals at the 2023 finals, surpassing their previous highest tally in a single edition of 10 which they recorded in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
- Against Morocco, France’s Eugenie Le Sommer, aged 34 years and 82 days, became the oldest player to score two goals in a FIFA Women’s World Cup knockout round match.
THE PREDICTION
France are unlikely to find Australia as easy to break down as Morocco, especially when considering that the Matildas are coming off the back of consecutive clean sheets. The potential presence of Kerr up top for Australia also represents a huge wildcard and the French backline will need to be on their guard defensively against a side who have scored six times across their last two games. Expect a tense quarter-final with a home crowd doing everything they can to push the Australian players on. Although France come into this quarter-final as favourites, backing under 2.5 goals scored over 90 minutes is well worth considering.
TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
