Australia vs Germany: Matildas fans descend on Marseille ahead of women’s team’s Olympic Games opening match
- Matildas fans have turned out in droves to support the team
- Tony Gustavsson’s team begin their campaign against Germany
- There are high expectations that the women’s team can win a medal
Matildas fans have travelled in droves to support Tony Gustavsson’s team in the run-up to the Olympic Games.
Still buoyed by the women’s team’s exploits at last year’s World Cup, there are high hopes for the Aussies to win a medal in Paris, when their journey begins on Thursday night local time against Germany.
And while many expect to watch from home early Friday morning, video footage shows plenty of fans in the French city of Marseille, the destination of the opening ceremony.
In the south of France, the fans enjoyed the sun and a few beers in a friendly atmosphere. They were not nervous at all, despite the difficult task against the team that is ranked fourth in the world.
The Matildas have suffered a selection blow, with Tameka Yallop ruled out of the game through injury. However, it has a dream opportunity for her Brisbane Roar teammate Sharn Freier.
The Australian women’s team were forced to play in the final hours of a substitution match in Marseille on Thursday, ahead of their tough start against Olympic powerhouse Germany. Experienced midfielder Yallop, 33, is still not ready to return after suffering two contact injuries in early July.
Yallop, who was forced to withdraw from the Olympic warm-up against Canada on July 13, will be replaced by Freier, who celebrated her 23rd birthday on Wednesday and now gets the chance to make her Olympic debut.
Matildas fans have travelled to Marseille to support the team at the Olympic Games
The Matildas play on Thursday local time at the world famous stadium in Marseille
There are high expectations that the Australian team can win a medal at this year’s Olympic Games
Yallop has now resumed training and is expected to be fit enough to be back in the 18-man squad for the Matildas’ next match against Zambia in Nice on Sunday.
Manchester City superstar Mary Fowler said her team-mates are fully aware of the task ahead.
âThey are a very good team and I don’t think you can underestimate them, just because of a few games where they underperformed,â she said.
‘They have so many good players.
‘So we just treat it like any other team and any other game, preparing as best we can.
‘Because every match in a tournament is actually a kind of final.’