Matildas downed by France but loss yields lessons for World Cup

Socceroos boss Graham Arnold stressed the need for depth and the importance of having a look at younger players when he announced the squad for his first game in charge later this month, and it's a philosophy that his Matildas counterpart, Alen Stajcic, has also embraced in his successful tenure with the Australian women's team so far.

Although Australia went down 2-0 to an experienced France team in the early hours of Saturday morning, Stajcic will have learned plenty from the defeat having fielded a strong but unfamiliar line-up.

Brace: Double goal-scorer Eugénie Le Sommer launches a shot at the Matildas' goal.

Brace: Double goal-scorer Eugénie Le Sommer launches a shot at the Matildas’ goal.Credit:Sophie Durieux

With the World Cup due to be held in France next year and the Matildas one of the teams expected to be involved at the business end of proceedings, Stajcic knows that he has to give match time not just to his stars but his back-up and fringe players too.

Sam Kerr, Alanna Kennedy, Lydia Williams, Katrina Gorry and Emily van Egmond were left out of this game, although some very well-credentialled players like Lisa De Vanna, Elise Kellond-Knight, Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Kyah Simon were in the starting side.

The game was as might have been expected – the Matildas absorbing plenty of French pressure, with back-up goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold pulling off some vital saves.

Lunge: Caitlin Foord of the Matildas and France's Charlotte Bilbault compete for the ball in midfield.

Lunge: Caitlin Foord of the Matildas and France’s Charlotte Bilbault compete for the ball in midfield.Credit:Sophie Durieux

They could not hold out for 90 minutes, however, and Eugenie Le Sommer broke the deadlock just before the hour mark, grabbing her second in the 90th minute to seal the game.

The Matildas continue their European fixtures next week with a match against England.

Meanwhile, Young Socceroos coach Ante Milicic has named a 23-player squad ahead of this month’s Asian U19 Championship in Indonesia.

The players recently completed a training camp on the Sunshine Coast and will travel to Singapore on Sunday to continue their build-up to the tournament, which doubles as a qualifying competition for next year's Under 20 World Cup in Poland.

Australia will need to finish either first or second in Group C, which also contains South Korea,  Vietnam and Jordan, to advance to the quarter-finals of the championship.

“Our camp in Singapore will include matches against leading Malaysian club side Johor Darul Ta’zim on 11 October and Singapore’s U21 National Team four days later,” said Milicic.

Australia first faces South Korea before playing Vietnam, with Jordan their final opponent.

Seventeen of the squad are with A-League clubs, while six are playing in Europe.
Familiar names include Melbourne City regular Nathaniel Atkinson and former Melbourne Victory wide man Christian Theoharous, now with Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany.

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