Fans shocked by woman's act during Matildas game at World Cup: 'Couldn't believe it'
While tickets to the World Cup knockout tie were hot property, not everyone in attendance was glued to the action.
There were more than 75,000 fans inside Stadium Australia on Monday night to witness the Matildas progress into the World Cup quarter-finals, setting yet another attendance record for women's football in Australia. But it appears not everyone packed into the stadium for the exhilarating 2-0 victory over Denmark was gripped by the action on the pitch.
One Matildas fan said he was baffled by a nearby ticket holder's choice to play Candy Crush on her mobile phone throughout the entirety of the match. "We just couldn't believe it. She literally only flipped off Candy Crush to her camera if she heard screaming," the fan told Yahoo Sports Australia.
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"Not once did she watch the game through her own eyes... The bloke next to her was super confused."
One possible explanation is that the woman was there as company for her friend who was "watching the entire thing", yet the fan was shocked at how little she appeared to care about the momentous occasion. Category 1 adult tickets for the two stands running the length of the field were sold for $60, according to FIFA.
Sam Kerr finally makes first appearance at home World Cup
Fans were also treated to Sam Kerr's first minutes of the tournament after she came on as a late substitute. While she received a rapturous reception, not everyone was pleased with her introduction.
Some fans questioned why coach Tony Gustavsson would risk playing her when victory was all-but assured. Speaking after the match, Gustavsson said a lengthy deliberation resulted in the coaching staff deciding it was best to ease Kerr back into game time ahead of potentially longer minutes later in the tournament.
"We had a lot of talks with Sam about when we used her and if she needed minutes to get ready mentally or physically to get ready for the next game," Gustavsson said. "That means there's a risk, and how much are you willing to risk? It's a tough decision."
There has been a level of secrecy over Kerr's fitness throughout the tournament after injuring her calf in training before their opening game. And she again offered a cryptic response to whether she will start the quarter final tie. "I mean, I have a plan," she said. The Matildas will play either France of Morocco in the final eight on Saturday.
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