Fans out in force in Brisbane to support Matildas in World Cup quarterfinal
There was agony and then there was ecstasy as Queensland rode every moment of the Matilda’s’ epic Brisbane FIFA women’s World Cup quarterfinal against France.
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There was agony and then there was ecstasy as Queensland rode every moment of the Matildas’ epic Brisbane FIFA women’s World Cup quarterfinal against France.
A nerve-racking penalty shootout sent the Matildas into the semi-finals and the city of Brisbane into raptures with fans celebrating until late into the night.
A sea of green and gold descended on Suncorp Stadium from early in the afternoon ahead of the Matildas’ historic FIFA women’s World Cup quarterfinal clash.
As the headline act on a huge weekend of sport in Brisbane, the Matildas rode on an incredible wave of support engulfing the city and the country.
Trains were standing room only, packed with families heading to the game and the odd smattering of Lions fans on their way to the AFL match at the Gabba on a huge day for Brisbane sport.
Girls wearing Sam Kerr jerseys stood or sat while patient parents carefully applied Matildas stickers, zinc and face paint in between bumps on the train tracks.
The Lions supporters shared seats with French fans – perhaps fitting as they share the same song with the Lions AFL ditty to the tune of the French national anthem.
A group of almost a dozen young girls from the Gold Coast’s Emmanuel College were decked out in green and gold from head to toe, excited about the game and the chance to see one of the school’s most famous former students, Matildas star Hayley Raso.
About 5000 diehard fans flocked to South Bank’s live site to watch the match and enjoy the pre-kick-off festivities including entertainment and food trucks.
Nine-year-old Louisa Kenny flew up from Adelaide to see the Matildas live, booking tickets to the quarterfinals even before the tournament began.
“I believed that they’d make it here and believe they can win,” Ms Kenny said
“I’ve been supporting them for over 5 years now.”
“I’d call myself their number 1 fan.”
Sisters Georgie, 13, and Olivia, 15, Dixon have been lifelong Matilda’s supporters and play competitive football.“The Matildas are really inspiring, it shows us that we can be as good as the boys,” Olivia said.
But, if the Cauldron is Queensland’s sporting heart, then Caxton Street is its major artery, pumping a rising tide of green and gold towards the hallowed ground.
It was a different vibe to the testosterone-charged setting of State of Origin matches, with young kids rushing down the closed-off street ahead of kick-off.
While Australia’s queen of soccer, or football if you prefer, warmed up inside the stadium, fans outside posed for photos with The King, with Wally Lewis’ bronze statue taking on a decidedly golden hue in the late afternoon.
Reon Cooper, the brother of Matildas star Tameka Yallop, was among the hordes packing into the stadium for a chance to witness history.
“We are so pumped for the game and to be part of the crowd,” he said.
“It’s been amazing watching my sister Tameka’s journey in the Matildas and to go from smaller crowds with not much coverage to being on the world stage with packed out stadiums is incredible for the next generation like my kids.”
Many fans turned up in the official jersey of the Matildas – which has already outsold the men’s team jersey from last year’s Wold Cup in Qatar, but for some, any green and gold would do from Wallabies rugby union jerseys to vintage 1990s Australian one-day cricket shirts.
Beck Hirsch and her friend Stephanie Toledo went one step better, turning up in kangaroo costumes to hop down the street towards the game.
Sarosh Mehta, the long-serving head of the Caxton Street Development Association, was overjoyed as the throngs of fans moved through the precinct.
“I feel exuberant,” he said.
“Particularly to see so many little girls with their parents undoubtedly inspired by the Matildas, which if they keep it up bound to be the next World Champions.”
Not everyone headed inside, with plenty hoping against hope for a miracle ticket to a game which sold out before the opponents were even decided.
A French fan held a sign promising his team would let Australia win the World Cup if someone would supply him with a ticket or two.
Nobody helped him out, but the Matildas might win the whole thing anyway.
You could hear the roar for the Australian anthem from hundreds of metres away and you could hear the groans for the Mary Fowler miss from the Cacko and the Lord Alfred, the unofficial home of soccer on Caxton Street.
There were more roars every time Sam Kerr was seen warming up on the big screen and the sound was deafening when she finally took the field.
The tension was palpable from one end of Caxton to the other as the game edged towards the dramatic finale of a penalty shootout.
It was like golden point State of Origin – times a thousand.
“I can’t watch!” screamed a fan as she destroyed her plastic cup of XXXX.
She remained true to her word, refusing to watch the big screen for the remainder of the nerve-racking encounter.
It was hard to know whether the cheers for France’s missed penalties were louder inside the ground or in the bars outside before Australia clinched their place in history.
Back at South Bank, the vast seas of green and gold erupting into excitement as the Matilda’s secured the historic win in the seventh penalty shot.
Pippa Simpson, a 12 year old aspiring footballer, said she liked the Matildas’ odds to go all the way.
“I play football, so it’s very inspiring for me to see the Matilda’s win,” Ms Simpson said.
“I think they’ve got a great chance at the championship.”
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