The AFC faces criticism for the snowy pitch conditions experienced by the Young Matildas at the U20 Women’s Asian Cup, prompting concerns regardless of weather conditions.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is being questioned regarding its decision to proceed with an Under-20s Women’s Asian Cup match between the Young Matildas and South Korea, despite the pitch being buried under approximately 15 centimeters of snow.

Australia commenced its opening game of Group A at Do’stlik Stadium on Sunday night, located in the outdoor athletics ground of the Tashkent region in Uzbekistan. The game commenced at 1 pm local time, amidst a temperature of -2 degrees Celsius, with heavy snowfall occurring on the artificial pitch in the hours leading up to the match.

Despite efforts by ground staff to clear some of the snow, only the field edges and the line markings were addressed before the opening whistle, leaving the middle of the field covered in deep snow. This led to players’ boots getting stuck in the ice, with some resorting to using their hands to dig holes in the grass for free kicks.

Leah Blayney, head coach of the Young Matildas, revealed that she had to reassure her players upon their arrival at the snowy pitch for warm-ups, as some had never encountered such conditions before. However, she praised the team’s maturity and adaptability, emphasizing the importance of unity and resilience in tournament football and beyond.