By Kieran Yap 15/7/23 (Kieran84@live.com.au)
Above: Mary Fowler celebrates her winning goal with Tameka Yallop. Photo: @TheMatildas Twitter
The Matildas farewell game against France was a chance to for the team to tinker, and the fans to bask in the glory of what is to come.
The finish was perfect, the first touch to control it was incredible, but the buildup was the most impressive aspect of Mary Fowler’s goal against France.
When the move started, Fowler was at the halfway line, as soon as Kyra Cooney-Cross received the ball on the wing, Fowler started moving toward goal. Not charging, not even sprinting. She was not aiming to get the goal first, but to arrive on time.
Fowler hovered between the French midfield and backline, staying in the space that was of relatively little concern to either line. When Hayley Raso got into a position to cross, Fowler suddenly sped up.
When Raso cut the ball back, Fowler had appeared in yards of space, and Australia were 1-0 up.
This was a good goal, but it was an otherwise meaningless match. However, this sequence of play is evidence of yet another tool that The Matildas can turn to during this World Cup.
Previous concerns around the team revolved around an over-reliance on Sam Kerr, and more specifically a habit of resorting to long balls toward the star striker.
During the loss to Scotland, it became evident that Tony Gustavsson needed to find another outlet to goal if Kerr and Caitlin Foord were unavailable.
The first half against France was solid, but the crowd and Twittersphere became frustrated with the lack of shots. When the strikers found space in the final third, they often cut the ball back to no success.
Fowler’s goal was this game plan bearing fruit after 66 minutes. The Matildas had kept faith in the game plan, and delivered. It only needed to work once.
Crucially, this happened without Kerr, Foord, or Cortnee Vine on the pitch. The Matildas have scored long-range belters, close-range set pieces, and flying headers in the last year. These new tactics are yet another that they can draw on and, unlike a Gorry screamer, it can probably be replicated by numerous players in the squad.
Fowler scored a similar goal against Canada in September of last year. This is likely something they have been working on, but there was a clear focus on it in this final friendly.
Gustavsson has not only worked on finding different goals scorers within the team but added different ways to score. If this send-off match was essentially a chance to tinker and train under a high intensity, it was a highly successful exercise.
There and Back Again
Talking to Matildas fans and football fans in the lead-up to this game, there was a very fun vibe. Many are spending this weekend packing, spending time with family before they depart, and arranging time off work (or just resigning.)
For some, it will be their first interstate football trip, for others their first international one. But the feeling across everybody whether it is their first World Cup, or the latest of many, they are all off on an incredible journey.
The fan meet-up before the France game felt like something out of The Hobbit. People sitting by the heaters talking about what was to come when they left home, and what adventures lay ahead in the next six weeks.
There were A-League Women players and parents of Matildas mingling with the merry hordes who are about to follow the national team up and down the East side of the country. There is a sense of community and shared enthusiasm. Everybody has different specific ideas about what they want from this tournament, but the excitement is unanimous and contagious.
Inside the stadium, they were joined by over 50,000 other fans of Australia’s Women’s football team. That tally will be dwarfed on Thursday against The Republic of Ireland.
We are about to take part in a major mobilisation of Australia’s football population. The scene at the pub felt Tolkien-esque, they shared stories, drank merrily, and laughed heartily. But instead of readying for battle, they are preparing to party.
They are leaving, and they’ll come back home, but nothing will ever be the same.
Safe travels to all and enjoy every minute of this incredible journey.
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