Coach reveals ‘biggest challenge’ for Matildas against giants France in epic WC quarter: LIVE

The Matildas face football heavyweights France on Saturday night (5pm AEST) at Brisbane Stadium for a place in the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup for the first time ever.

And the world number five French pose a massive test, with Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson detailing what he believes it the ‘biggest challenge’ posed by Les Bleus.

He said in Friday’s pre-match press conference: “They’ve proven over this tournament that they have extreme attacking threats. Central, left and right. They attack with numbers. They’re brave, technical, fast. Doesn’t hesitate to send a lot of numbers forward, look at their goalscoring as well!

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But the biggest problem facing the Matildas, according to Gustavsson, is France’s pressing when they lose possession.

He continued: “they’re extremely aggressive when they lose the ball so you get very little time on the ball when you win it. That’s gonna be probably the edge they have over us and that’s going to be our number one challenge to solve.”

But Gustavsson is confident Australia has its own weapons that can get the edge over France.

He said: “But we have proved over this tournament that our defensive structure and our defensive workrate has been enormous … a team effort in defending. But also we’ve been very, very composed in front of goal.”

The Swede added: “Once we do break that pressure we know how fast we can attack. We have some players in tremendous form right now, and you want that when you go into a quarter final – individuals that in one moment can decide a game.”

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