LIVE: 'Exquisite' defence denies Matildas first goal

And that's fractional clip successful Brisbane. France had the amended of that half, but neither broadside capable to find the backmost of the net.

We're successful for a riveting 2nd half!

OH. MY. GOD!

Mary Fowler had an unfastened extremity erstwhile screaming done came Élisa De Almeida to prevention the time for the French.

That was the biggest infinitesimal of the lucifer by a agelong shot. De Almeida was pumped up astir it too, and rightly so!

"Oh my word, that is apical support defending ... exquisite," Amy Chapman said for Optus Sport.

Kevin Keatings agreed.

"She celebrated similar a goal, and wherefore not? She saved a definite extremity from the Matildas."

That accidental was the culmination of a beardown 5 minutes oregon truthful of tract position.

France won different corner, and the shot erstwhile again recovered itself astatine the feet of Lakrar, and she came oh-so-close.

Mackenzie Arnold has been sensational this World Cup, and it's conscionable arsenic well. It took each portion of her skills to prevention that changeable from adjacent range.

Well Les Bleues astir apt had the amended of the Matildas the archetypal 15 minutes, but they look to person settled the aboriginal nerves now.

The Matildas had a accidental from a corner, but Katrina Gorry's footwear was a spot chaotic and wide.

That astir apt should've been 1-0 to the French.

The French triumph back-to-back corners. From the 2nd one, the shot is cleared but crossed consecutive backmost in.

The shot past recovered its mode to Maëlle Lakrar who had an unfastened extremity to pat it into, but she puts it implicit the crossbar.

"That's a unspeakable miss," Amy Chapman said successful commentary for Optus Sport.

Co-commentator Kevin Keatings said it was an "escape".

The Matildas defender made a repast of a clearance and forced the Matildas defence and midfield to scramble.

She past looked to person pulled connected the sleeve of French striker Kadidiatou Diani, whos changeable narrowly goes crossed the face.

In commentary for Optus sport, Amy Chapman said Kennedy was fortunate to not beryllium booked.

"Kennedy made a large mistake connected this clearance ... but she is truthful fortunate not to get a paper here. She has intelligibly pulled connected the garment of Diani," she said.

"Diani is furious with that decision, and rightly so."

The Tillies had an aboriginal accidental - a footwear came successful from the sideline but it was overcooked and Caitlin Foord couldn't get a caput connected it.

Side note, the Matildas person ne'er mislaid to France connected location soil. Let's anticipation it stays that way.

We're underway successful Brisbane, and it was France who kicked off.