Angry fans have questioned why Australia’s under-20 women’s football team was forced to play an Asian Cup match on a pitch covered in thick snow in a move branded “unsafe” and “shameful” by fans. .
The Young Matildas came from behind to defeat Korea Republic 2-1 in the opening match of the AFC Women’s Under-20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan on Sunday.
Teenage star Naomi Chinnama turned the game around with her first international goal in the second half, but it was the conditions that dominated the online conversation.
Both teams had to play on a snow-covered surface due to a recent storm, with only the center circle and edges of the field clear before kickoff was allowed to continue.
The Australian women celebrate in the snow after their victory over Korea Republic in Uzbekistan.
Players were forced to endure ankle-deep snow, with the ball regularly getting stuck after being kicked due to the shocking conditions.
Game organizers cleared sections around the edge of the field and in the center circle, but left most of the snow on the field when the game began.
It presented challenging conditions for the Young Matildas, with the ball routinely getting stuck in drifts before the Australians were finally able to break the game open in the second half.
“Australian national teams have received FROSTY receptions before, although never quite so literally,” one fan on the field posted, along with a video of the field completely submerged in snow just before kickoff.
Numerous fans posted online saying conditions were unsafe for players and that more should have been done to protect them.
“It is an absolute disaster to play on such a disgusting field. Surely this is a serious violation of safety regulations for an AFC-sanctioned tournament,” one of them fumed.
“Pitch conditions were horrible, Australia should complain,” another angry fan posted.
Other fans said the match highlighted the gap between men’s and women’s football.
“Never tell me that women’s sports are the same as men’s sports, this is a joke,” one posted.
‘This is really wild. Just because they were under 20 women, no one stopped this. “This is dangerous and absolutely unacceptable,” added another.
‘What a joke! If you say you’re going to be the host, you should have a plan for clearing the snow! Ridiculous conditions! “This wouldn’t happen in men’s football,” said another fan.
While the conditions were terrible, it is not the first time that a professional or international soccer match has been played on a snow-covered field.
In 2014, the United States and Costa Rica men’s teams had to play a World Cup qualifying match in Commerce City, Colorado, right next to the Rocky Mountains, on a snow-covered field.
Some football fans are used to snow, like these spectators at the Young Matildas match in Uzbekistan.
Snow fell from the top of the goal in spectacular scenes when this goal was scored in the German Bundesliga in 2018.
A snowstorm did not stop Atlanta from blowing Minnesota in a Major League Soccer match in the United States
In 2018, German striker Nils Petersen scored a goal for SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga that dramatically caused snow to fall from the roof of the goal.
And back in the United States, a men’s Major League Soccer match between Atlanta and Minnesota not only included a snow-covered field, but players, officials and fans were forced to ensure a full-blown snowstorm hit the stadium.
It is also common in Russia, Scotland and other snow-prone parts of the world.
While many fans criticized the conditions, others praised the Young Matildas for overcoming the hurdle to secure a vital come-from-behind victory.
‘Shocking conditions, but what is the faith and courage of this team? To play in that and win again – the future is bright, what an incredible performance,” posted one excited follower.
“The conditions were terrible, but the girls deserve the victory,” added another.
The victory is a huge result in the context of the group. If Australia finishes first or second, they will have the opportunity to play in a semi-final and qualify for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.