A-League star delivers the PERFECT response to Nazi-saluting fans who booed Welcome to Country
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Macarthur TC star Al Hassan Toure made a defiant statement after scoring a goal in the Australia Cup final on Saturday night after some of Sydney United’s fans marred the match by performing Nazi salutes and booing during the Welcome to Country before kick-off.
The 22-year-old then revealed that the team was driven to win ahead of their skipper Ulises Dávila, whose wife Lily died suddenly earlier this year.
Sydney United’s wonder run to the cup final was the story of the competition this season as they became the first national team to reach the big game.
Some followers of United, formerly known as Sydney Croatia, sang Za Dom Spremni (For Homeland – Ready) – a chant used by the far-right Ustase movement in the 1930s and 1940s.
Images and videos circulating on social media also appeared to show fans offering fascist greetings during the match.
Macarthur FC star Al Hassan Toure (center) brings peace of mind to the crowd after scoring a goal in his team’s 2-0 Australia Cup win over Sydney United on Saturday night
Photos of fans with their right arms raised in what appeared to be a Nazi salute quickly went viral on social media during the match
Portions of fans could be heard singing and reportedly cheering during the national anthem and traditional Welcome to Country prior to the kick-off against Macarthur.
So when Touré scored from a penalty in the 32nd minute, he gave the fans a piece of his mind by running to the fence and putting his hands around his ears in an “I can’t hear you” gesture that told them the abuse. showed did not join the team.
Some supporters responded by throwing trash at the attacker and giving him the middle finger.
After Macarthur won 2-0, Toure was interviewed on the pitch as the team celebrated.
“Our captain needed that today, with everything that has happened to his wife I think this is more for him and his family,” he said, appearing almost in tears.
“He’s had a hard time and this is just for him.”
The A-League was in shock when Dávila’s wife Lily died in May, leaving him to care for their son, Uli Junior.
Some of Sydney United’s fans are said to have sung chants during the national anthem
United supporters were also accused of booing during the Welcome to Country performed by Erin Wilkins (pictured), who appeared visibly shocked
Dávila, a former Chelsea star and Mexican international, had an outstanding game on Saturday night, winning the Mark Viduka Medal for a man-of-the-match effort that gave Macarthur their first trophy since their A-League debut made in 2020.
The outrageous display of parts of the Sydney United crowd sparked widespread condemnation after the game.
“These despicable symbols and salutations have no place in modern Australian society,” said Darren Bark, head of the NSW Jewish Council of Representatives.
They represent the ultimate manifestation of evil – an evil that led to the murder of millions of innocent civilians during World War II, including six million Jews and thousands of Australian Diggers who lost their lives fighting the Nazis during World War II.
Macarthur captain Ulises Dávila (pictured with son Uli Junior after the win) received the man of the match award. Toure said the team wanted to win for their skipper after losing his wife in tragic circumstances earlier this year
The sudden death of Dávila’s wife Lily (pictured together) in May sent shockwaves through football in Australia
Bark called on Football Australia to ‘take firm action’ against the perpetrators.
A banner unveiled at the CommBank Stadium bore a striking resemblance to the flag of Nazi Germany.
It was mostly red and featured a white circle in the center, with ‘EP’ – an acronym for the club’s Edensor Park home – in the circle in black font.
Some of the United fans also sang and hooted during the welcome to the country, performed by Erin Wilkins, and the national anthem.
Former United player and Australia international Craig Foster tweeted his condemnation, describing the behavior as a “horrific display of racial hatred”.
Football Australia head James Johnson called Wilkins during the final to apologize on behalf of his organization, who insisted the behavior was restricted to a small segment of supporters.
“Football Australia recognizes that a very small minority of those in attendance engaged in conduct inconsistent with Football Australia’s values and the expectations of the wider community,” the organization said in a statement.