【ABC】Young Matildas in China brawl

nbnbren

Young Matildas in China brawl
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/04/2645903.htm?section=justinYoung


Posted August 4, 2009 16:13:00

An ill-tempered women's under-19 soccer match betweenChina and Australia has ended with a mass brawl and accusations ofcheating, Chinese media has reported.

It was another blow for the reputation of Chinese football, twoweeks after a referee was attacked by players in a men'sinter-provincial tournament, resulting in one player being banned forlife.

China won the Asian under-19s championship match 2-1, holding on forvictory despite a late appeal for a penalty from the Australians, whowere aghast to see the referee award a free kick outside the box.

Australia's Jessica Seaman was dismissed on full-time and abench-clearing brawl ensued, with the Wuhan crowd joining in by peltingthe visitors with water bottles as they left the pitch.

In a statement, Football Federation Australia (FFA) said it was aware of the incidents.

"We can confirm that the Young Matildas players and staff are unharmed and safe," the FFA said.

"FFA is disappointed that ... players were the target of unacceptable crowd behaviour.

"FFA has taken up this matter with the AFC this morning.  

"In the short term, the AFC has provided additional security to theYoung Matildas for the remainder of their participation in thechampionship."

China coach Gao Rongming blamed his team's inexperience for theirpart in the incidents but Australia's Alen Stajcic said the match wasan embarrassment for the hosts.

"We've prepared for 12 months to have an embarrassing sporting eventtake place like that in China," he told the Asian FootballConfederation (AFC) website.

"That's not sport. Sport's played by two equal teams battling for sporting supremacy, not that kind of behaviour.

"On the field, off the field, it's not good enough. It's not goodenough. I'd be embarrassed if I were the host of this event after thatgame. It's not good enough."

The tournament also acts as a qualifier for FIFA's under-20 WorldCup and the defeat makes Australia unlikely to secure a spot in Germanyfor next year.

"We created many opportunities but some non-sporting factors decidedthis match," Stajcic was quoted as saying by the Beijing News.

"Our opponents held up the game by faking dives and injuries, which caused our loss."

ABC/Reuters