Angry fans question snow pitch as Matildas win over Korea

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.

READ ALSOSaudi Arabia launches campaign to host FIFA World Cup 2034

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.

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.

READ ALSO Australia hammer Uzbekistan to reach Paris Olympics

“Pitch conditions were horrible, Australia should complain,” another angry fan posted.

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.