Colin Abgrall / Photo credit: WILLIAM WEST / AFP
This Saturday at 9 a.m. French time, the France team challenges Australia, co-host country of the Women’s World Cup. Hervé Renard’s players are aiming for a place in the last four of the competition but the task promises to be difficult against “Matildas” worn by an entire nation.
They were not among the big favorites of this Women’s World Cup but these Australian players have more than one trick up their sleeve. And will represent a major challenge for the French team this Saturday in the quarter-finals of the competition (9 a.m.). Firstly because the “Matildas” – that’s their nickname – will evolve in front of an audience committed to their cause in this Brisbane Stadium with a capacity of nearly 50,000 seats.
This support also plays a non-negligible role in the performances achieved by these Australian players, who have gradually become credible candidates for the final crown. The stadiums are full, the fan zones are full and Hervé Renard, the coach of Les Bleues, takes his hat off to the organizer of the tournament. “It is the beauty of football and a symbol of the progression of this women’s football through this World Cup in Australia. We must congratulate all these Australian people because it is a success”, he greets.
“I had never been so supported”
The 50,000 spectators expected are preparing to deliver a fiery atmosphere in this setting on the Australian east coast. A fervor whose importance cannot be underestimated. “We felt it against Canada in Melbourne (4-0 victory for the Matildas). I had never been so supported, it allowed us to win. Technically and tactically, it doesn’t help but mentally, it can play on the other team and that helps,” said defender Clare Hunt.
Australia will want to reach the last four of this World Cup for the very first time, where the French team will try to imitate the 2011 generation and reach this stage of the competition for the second time in its history. And thus get closer to its objective: to bring back a first star.