Only 110 tickets sold to Matildas insanity, creating bizarre Olympics scene
They’re used to playing in front of packed stadiums in Australia but the Matildas were staring at thousands of empty seats at the Olympics.
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There have been 90 minutes of complete insanity in Nice with the Matildas coming back from the dead to defeat Zambia 6-5.
Australia was facing a total disaster with the dramatic scenes playing out in bizarre fashion with organisers announcing just 110 tickets were sold for the pool match, per News Corp.
Our nation’s favourite team was in danger of losing its second consecutive match to begin the Games, but the match was flipped on its head with Australia scoring four goals in the second half after trailing 4-2 at the half-time break.
The fans in the stadium were treated to one of the most bonkers Matildas games in recent memory — but barely anyone was there watching it from the stands.
It’s a far cry from the sold out stadiums the Matildas grew accustomed to playing in front of at last year’s World Cup - and so far they’ve filled to deliver for the few Aussies who did make the journey to Nice.
After an insane first half where Australia coughed up four goals — the madness continued in the second half.
It was the eleventh goal of the game — scored by Michelle Heyman in the 90th minute — that put the Tillies in front for the first time.
Australia looked dead and buried when Racheal Kundananji scored her second goal to put her team ahead 5-2 in the 56th minute.
However, two goals by Steph Catley helped Australia steal a famous victory that may turn their campaign around after opening the Olympics with a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Germany.
Catley’s second goal was a penalty that came after the VAR found a Zambian defender had stepped on Caitlin Foord’s foot inside the penalty area.
People would have called you crazy if you said Australia was going to win the match at the half-time break.
Australia fell behind almost immediately as Barbra Banda scored Zambia’s first goal with a blistering strike from well outside the box in the very first minute of play.
It was a chaotic start as Alanna Kennedy drew the Matildas level after a beautifully executed set piece in the eighth minute.
Australian captain Steph Catley delivered a looping pass into the box, inviting Kennedy to run on and powerfully head it into the net to make it 1-1.
But it wasn’t long before Zambia took the lead again after a brilliant individual goal from Kundananji.
The Matildas’ defensive lapses have been regular - and this latest one proved costly. Kundananji took the ball in her stride from 40m out, drove into the box and found the back of the net beyond an outstretched Mackenzie Arnold.
The frenetic action continued as Banda’s second made it 3-1. But it was only moments before Hayley Raso headed in a messy goal at the back post to again pull it back to a one-goal deficit.
Any hope the Matildas had of heading to the halftime break with momentum was lost when Zambia added their fourth goal just before the break.
Banda completed a remarkable first-half hat-trick when starting XI inclusion Emily van Egmond failed to clear the ball out of the Matildas’ box following a goal-mouth scramble.
Her strike ricocheted off Banda’s foot before flying into the goal and taking the score to 4-2.
It was an incredible first half from Zambia, headlined by their intensity off the ball that forced the Matildas into plenty of mistakes.
For Banda, it is her third Olympic hat-trick after she scored three goals against both the Netherlands and China at the Tokyo Olympics.
Poor crowds plague women’s matches
The Matildas did get a couple of thousand spectators in the stands for the 0-3 loss against Germany in Marseille.
Men’s football matches have proved more popular with close to 60,000 fans turning out to watch France defeat USA in Marseille on the opening day of competition.
Ticket prices seem to vary per stadium ranging from $40 to $120.
According to reporters on the ground in Nice, there is little sign the city is hosting six Olympic football matches with zero signage or posters hanging from buildings or lamp posts.
The Aussies next face the USA in two days’ time.
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Originally published as Only 110 tickets sold to Matildas insanity, creating bizarre Olympics scene
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