MELBOURNE (Reuters) – The Australian women’s soccer team achieved great success in the Olympic qualifiers against Iran, Philippines, and Taiwan, securing three victories, three clean sheets, and an impressive collection of 13 goals.
Another positive aspect was the remarkable turnout of 97,000 fans who attended the games in Perth. This comes several months after the Matildas attracted large crowds during their semi-final run in the home World Cup.
Due to the high demand for tickets, Football Australia decided to move the second qualifier against the Philippines to the 60,000-seat Perth Stadium. This decision paid off as 59,155 spectators showed up to support the home team’s dominant 8-0 victory.
This marked the largest attendance ever recorded for a soccer game at the nearly six-year-old venue, as well as a record for any Australian women’s sporting event outside of the Olympics and the World Cup.
Football Australia (FA) had pledged that the World Cup would leave a lasting legacy for women’s football in the country, which was inspired by the success of the women’s Euros in England.
Based on the incredible turnout in Perth, the governing body can have confidence in the tournament’s enduring impact and the “Matildas effect.”
By topping Group A in Asian qualifying, Australia secured a spot in a two-legged playoff against Uzbekistan in February, with the winner earning a place in the Paris Olympics next year.
FA is already considering potential venues for the second leg, which will be held at home on Feb. 28.
“We’ll aim to secure the largest available stadiums for the Matildas’ matches,” stated FA CEO James Johnson.
Surpassing global pop star Taylor Swift, who is set to perform multiple shows at the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground in February, may be a lofty goal even for the Matildas.
Nonetheless, there is a possibility that the team’s record crowd of 75,784 from the World Cup could be surpassed if the same venue is accessible.
Captain and forward Sam Kerr demonstrated her exceptional skills by scoring five goals in the qualifiers, including a hat-trick against the Philippines.
In addition, a sensational goal from 20-year-old talent Mary Fowler concluded an exhilarating week for the home fans. Fowler unleashed a long-range rocket, showcasing her remarkable abilities against Taiwan.
With relatively modest professional leagues and a constant outflow of talent to teams in the US, Europe, and England, local soccer has always craved the exposure enjoyed by rival sports like Australian Rules football and rugby league.
However, with Fowler emerging as a promising goal-scorer following in the footsteps of prolific striker Kerr, Football Australia may believe that the future is bright.
“After witnessing that goal tonight, how am I supposed to keep expectations low?” Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson remarked to reporters about Fowler’s performance.
“What she demonstrated is what we see in training every day—technically skilled shots using her left foot, right foot, inside foot, laces, and clipped balls. Her finishing ability is truly exceptional.”
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Michael Perry)
