- Matildas wanted to play Uzbekistan in a sold-out MCG
- Nearby Marvel Stadium has been confirmed as the venue by Football Australia
- Tony Gustavsson’s team preferred to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris
Football Australia has broken the hearts of Matildas players after confirming their upcoming Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan will be played at Marvel Stadium on February 28.
Defender Steph Catley called for the match to be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, but two Taylor Swift concerts on February 16 and 18 left the FA amid fears the surface would not be world-class when it came time to play.
Marvel Stadium seats over 53,000 fans, unlike the MCG, which seats 100,024.
Football Australia has broken the hearts of Matildas players after confirming their upcoming Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan will be played at Marvel Stadium after star defender Steph Catley (pictured) called for the match to be held at the MCG
The Matildas wanted to play against Uzbekistan on February 28 on the country’s most famous field in front of up to 100,000 fans
Tony Gustavsson’s side defeated Uzbekistan 10-0 when the two countries last played each other in 2007 – and despite the first leg taking place in Central Asia on February 24, the World Cup semi-finalists are keen to qualify for the Olympic Playing in Paris.
“We are so close,” said Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams ahead of the opportunity to claim a medal at the Games after finishing fourth at the Tokyo Olympics.
‘We’ve got a taste for it. It’s almost like you smell the scent in the air and you want to make sure you know what it actually feels like.
‘We are very close and it is only about the last match, the last push.
“Having the experience of what it’s like not to get to that, I think will only spur us on to want to get to that point.”
Traditional superpower Sweden, which defeated Australia in Tokyo, has failed to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time.
Fellow heavyweights Great Britain also missed out, and their absence could open the door for the Matildas to a medal in Paris.
Two Taylor Swift concerts at the MCG on February 16 and 18 left Football Australia amid fears the surface would not be world class on February 28 for the second leg against Uzbekistan
Mary Fowler will be a key figure for the Matildas as they look to qualify for the Paris Olympics
“Football is a funny game, you never know who will come through,” Williams added.
‘Nobody had really heard of Colombia and they surprised everyone at the World Cup (where they reached the quarter-finals).
“Anything can happen in the game of football and we just have to make sure we prepare as best we can.”
Tickets for the Marvel Stadium match against Uzbekistan will go on sale on December 20.
