By the same token, I’d like to see France play a composed, slow tempo, low block, to ask exactly the kind of questions the Matildas don’t want to answer. Spain passed them to distraction in February with a B team and Australia need to figure out how to respond to those challenges. They will face opponents in the World Cup whose focus is on retaining possession and grinding through a game with multiple stoppages, doing their best to deny that high octane momentum that makes the Matildas look so threatening at their best.

There’s going to be plenty of energy from the stands tonight, and lots of expectations around how the Matildas should play. I would like to see them channel that and go full throttle. Take full advantage of the pace of Carpenter, Vine and Raso, and make a statement to France and the rest of the World Cup they’re here to play a certain way, and that way is a million miles per hour. Light the blue touch paper and watch the fireworks.

This is very good content. This World Cup really does feel like a tipping point in the perception of women’s football to uninitiated audiences.

France XI

Joyeux quatorze Juillet mes amis Français! Les Bleues also go in with close to their best XI. It’s a side dominated at the back by the powerful Wendie Renard, one of the stars of the past decade, and at the front by goal machine Eugénie Le Sommer. The Lyon pair may well be heading to their final World Cup, and desperate to do well.

France (4-3-3) : Pevraud-Magnin (GK), Lakrar, Renard, De Almedia, Karchaoui / Geyoro, Toletti, Dali / Diani, Le Sommer, Bacha.

Australia XI

Gustavsson said he wasn’t going to mess around with his team selection tonight, and he has been true to his word. The starting XI is as expected, and includes the returning Alanna Kennedy for the first time since September. The back four will be the focus of attention with Kennedy partnered by the inexperienced Clare Hunt, while Clare Polkinghorne nurses a foot injury. Both will be delighted that on their outside they find the class of Ellie Carpenter and Steph Catley.

Australia: (4-4-2) Arnold (GK), Carpenter, Hunt, Kennedy, Catley / Raso, Cooney-Cross, Gorry Vine / Kerr, Foord.

It’s been a chilly midwinter’s day in Melbourne but the frigid air and howling gale will not penetrate a Marvel Stadium with its roof closed. There are expected to be around 50,000 fans crammed inside – which would set a new record for a standalone Matildas fixture.

Then we have a focus on the World Cup debutants:

As well as the full squad overview:

With the World Cup around the corner, there’s plenty of Matildas content to chew over while we wait for kick-off.

There are recent features on Katrina Gorry:

Kyah Simon:

And my personal favourite (and new Real Madrid signing) Hayley Raso:

Preamble

Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v France from Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium. Kick-off in this World Cup send-off is 7.30pm.

With the World Cup kicking off in under a week, tonight offers one last precious opportunity for Tony Gustavsson and Hervé Renard to work through their options before the serious action begins. Tenth-ranked Australia and fifth-ranked France will consider themselves among the contenders for the biggest prize in the sport. The Matildas, on home soil, are unlikely to ever have a better opportunity.

And they are rising to the occasion nicely. After a long bedding-in period under Gustavsson, performances and results have started to come good. Eight wins from nine matches, dating back to last October are testament to the progress, a run featuring five clean sheets, an away win to European champions England, and the development of impressive squad depth. Another win tonight will light the blue touch paper on the most eagerly anticipated World Cup campaign in Australian history – male or female.

After a tumultuous few months last year, France are also peaking just at the right time under the experience of men’s World Cup specialist Renard. Les Bleus are unbeaten in seven – a stretch featuring six wins – as the squad returns to normality, just as it seemed their World Cup hopes would be wrecked by infighting. Bastille Day offers an ideal opportunity to channel that revolutionary spirit.

I’ll be back with teams news and insights from the two camps shortly. If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email.