FIFA Women’s World Cup: Thousands of empty seats at the Matildas match
FIFA have some explaining to do with fans told ticket allocation was exhausted for the Matildas clash in Brisbane yet photos tell a different story.
A week after record crowds in Sydney questions are being asked about the rows of empty seats in prime locations at the Matildas and Nigeria clash at Brisbane Stadium.
Rows of seats on the side of the and pitch and behind the goals were empty. But the top tiers of the stadium were certainly full.
About four hours prior to kick off FIFA announced a limited number of Category 3 tickets, starting at $20 for adults, had been put up for sale.
The reason for the late flurry of tickets is yet to be revealed - it could be due to fans opting to put them up for resale late in the afternoon.
But it’s certainly not a good look.
According to the official stats, 49,156 fans came out to watch the shock upset which ended 3-2 in Nigeria’s favour and leaves the Matildas dangerously close to exiting the tournament.
That number represents 93 per cent of the stadium’s capacity.
Australia took the lead in injury time at the end of the first half through Emily van Egmond before Uchenna Kanu, Osinachi Ohale and substitute Asisat Oshoala hit back for Nigeria.
Defender Alanna Kennedy got a late consolation for Australia deep into second-half stoppage time
But look what it meant to Nigeria.
MATILDAS COACH‘S SHOCK CONFESSION AMID FAN FURY
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson won’t just be assessing his players’ performances after their shock 3-2 loss to Nigeria – admitting he might have left his bold substitutions too late.
It’s not the first time Gustavsson’s coaching tactics have been questioned — in fact it has plagued his time with the Matildas — but with the Aussie women now facing a do or die match against the Olympic champions in just five days times — his bold choices are once again under the microscope.
The Matildas blitzed the first half — having the majority of the ball and chances at the goal — they just couldn’t get one to sail into the net — until Emily van Egmond nipped it past the keeper in extra time of the first half.
Tony Gustavsson should go and coach France cause he can’t make a sub for Australia #WWC2023
— Dominic Burke (@dominicburke) July 27, 2023
It was a short lived high with Nigeria equalising four minutes later – right on the halftime buzzer.
Striker Caitlin Foord, who failed to find the net, said it was a disappointing match.
“It was frustrating once we got on top and to concede just before we go in, it’s never nice,” Foord said after the game.
“But I don’t think we dwelled on it too much and we came out and created plenty of chances to be able to win the game.
“I had plenty of chances as well to put one away it’s frustrating, I just want to think about it tonight so I can move on.”
Nigeria played as expected in the second half – quick and transitional. They scored in the 65th and 72nd minute — going up 3-1. They now sit on the top of the group – while Australia have been bumped down to third.
Gustavsson was slow to go to his bench – which admittedly featured a host of injured players including star striker Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Aivi Luik and Kyah Simon.
It wasn’t until there was just 10 minutes to go that Gustavsson turned to his bench and to the shock of everyone watching opted to put on Clare Polkinghorne -a defender when the Matildas were chasing at least two goals.
As part of the substitution he moved centreback Alanna Kennedy to striker — once again raising eyebrows of fans.
Gustavsson said it was a tactic he had used before with success.
“Alanna has a double line as we call it,” he said.
“Playing with two nines is something we’ve done in the past. The last time you saw it was against New Zealand and we scored the goals and won the game in overtime. It is something we’ve trained and prepared for.”
The move did pay off with Kennedy scoring a header in extra time — putting the Matildas just one goal behind.
Alex Chidiac got her World Cup call up in the 85th minute — she had an immediate impact firing balls into the box and creating chances.
Post-match Gustavsson admitted he needed to re-evaluate his substitutions timing.
“Did I find the right time for the subs? We did get a massive effect but did we get that because I did it in the right moment or should I have done it earlier and we could have played longer with that positive effect — it’s something I’ll review afterwards.”
With goals hard to come by a lot of weight knows sits on Kerr’s fitness and if she should be played for the must-win Canada clash regardless of her calf injury – which has so far seen her ruled out of the first two World Cup games.
Gustavsson said Kerr would do everything in her power to be on that pitch — injured or not.
“That’s her mindset and that is what I love about Sam,” he said.
“I know that she wants to be out there and she deserves to be out there and if she can be out there she will be out there.
“If she is available we will come up with a plan with the staff to determine what is the best way to maximise the potential minutes that she has going into this game (against Canada).
Gustavsson knows Canada won’t be an easy task.
“One of the biggest and most important things we have to prepare right now is to mentally bounce back and see the truth in front of us,” he said.
“It’s a must win game against the Olympic champions in the last round of the group stage to get out.
“That is what’s in front of us.”
Australia will play Canada, for a spot in the Round of 16, at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Monday night.
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