Brendan Lines

November 14, 2020

The Matildas 1-0 victory against Chile at Hindmarsh Stadium on Tuesday night not only settled the score on the field, but set Adelaide’s World Cup bid straight giving women’s football in Adelaide the attention it rightly deserves on the world stage.

Image: Daily Telegraph – Sam Kerr gives away her strip to local Adelaide fan.

A record 10,342 strong crowd attended the women’s international friendly, smashing the previous record in Adelaide of 5186 set in 2006.

From the resounding cheers at the climax of Advance Australia Fair, to the raptures engulfing the moments just after Emily Gielnik’s goal in the 23rd minute — alone would have been more than enough for Premier Steven Marshall to come to his senses.

The roar of approval for The Matildas:

Recent public and political pressure forced the Liberal government to re-think its World Cup bid, before Adelaide was lost to the complete alienation of the country’s football and wider sporting community.

Just hours before kick-off the Premier made a statement re-committing his support.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup is a massive event to add to our sporting calendar, and Adelaide will be a fantastic location for the competition,” he said.

In August, Marshall balked at the chance for Adelaide to support Football Federation Australia’s bid to host the World Cup, on the grounds of affordability to upgrade Hindmarsh Stadium.

Tourism minister David Ridgway argued that losses of business would have to be paid to the Crows and Port Adelaide AFL clubs if games were to be played at Adelaide Oval — despite InDaily revealing the government was not under any obligation to compensate the Stadium Management Authority.

The opposition’s recreation spokesperson Katrine Hildyard who criticised Marshall for a $24m cut to the Female Facilities Program, later said on Twitter that supporters made their voice heard on Tuesday night.

The government’s change in tack came as Ridgway said “The State Government has negotiated a good outcome for South Australian sports fans and taxpayers.”

But all the politics aside, it was the spectacle that mattered in the end as the Matildas headed by Sam Kerr were dominant against the Chileans.

As their fluent attack wrecked havoc on the Chilean defenders and keeper Natalia Campos.

The win cemented the Matilda’s eighth place in the world rankings for 2019 with seven wins and two losses.

To the Matildas’ credit, not only did they get the job done on the field, but there was an implied victory off the field rousing record local support.

As our ladies silenced the rhetoric with their irrefutable results, giving women’s football in Adelaide a well deserved shot at getting further attention on the world stage.