The 97,000 fans who flocked to the games in Perth, months after the Matildas drew massive crowds at the home World Cup during their semifinal run, was an encouraging metric.
The Australian women’s football platoon surfaced from Olympic qualifiers against Iran, the Philippines, and Taiwan with three triumphs, three clean wastes, and a highlight roll of 13 pretensions.
Another encouraging standard was the 97,000 suckers who crowded to the games in Perth, months after the Matildas drew massive crowds at the home World Cup during their semifinal run.
With huge demand for tickets, Football Australia shifted the alternate qualifier against the Philippines to the 60,000- seat Perth Stadium and was awarded as 59,155 turned up to watch the home side hammer the Southeast Asians 8- 0.
It was the largest football crowd recorded at the nearly six- time-old venue and a record for an Australian women’s sporting game outside of the Olympics and World Cup.
Football Australia (FA) promised the World Cup would deliver a heritage for women’s football in the country that would be felt long after the event, having seen the spark lit by the women’s Euros in England.
On the strength of Perth, the governing body will be confident the event and the “ Matildas effect ” have staying power.
Finishing top of Group A in Asian qualifying, Australia will battle Uzbekistan in a two-lawful playoff in February for a place in coming time’s Paris Olympics.
FA is formerly allowing about venues for the alternate leg at home on February 28.
“We ’ll be looking for the biggest colosseums available for the Matildas to play in, ” said FA master James Johnson.
Beating global pop star Taylor Swift, who plays multiple shows at the 100,000- seat Melbourne Cricket Ground in February, might be beyond indeed the Matildas ’ pulling power.
But the platoon’s record crowd of 75,784 at the World Cup may be under trouble if the same venue is available.
Captain and striker Sam Kerr slotted five pretensions in the qualifiers, including a chapeau- trick against the Philippines.
A wonder thing from Mary Fowler limited off a thrilling week for home suckers as the 20- time-old gift fired a long- range rocket home against Taiwan.
With modest professional leagues and a constant gift drain to overseas brigades in the US, Europe and England, original football has long coveted the exposure owned by rival Australian Rules football and rugby league.
Still, with Fowler arising as a thing- scoring successor to the fat Kerr, Football Australia may feel the future is bright.
“How am I going to keep the prospects down on that one now, ” Matildas trainer Tony Gustavsson told journalists of Fowler.
“When she pulls off that thing tonight, it’s what we see in training every day. Left bottom, right bottom, inside of the bottom, laces, cropped balls, anything. Know More Latest Football News…
