Ancelotti slams 'difficult' pitch after Brazil draw with Australia
Carlo Ancelotti and Tony Popovic voiced frustration over the poor playing surface in Townsville following a 1-1 draw between Brazil and Australia.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: YantsImages
Brazil and Australia played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Townsville on Friday. The Selecao secured a late point thanks to a header from Rayan, which cancelled out a stunning 68th-minute free-kick from Nestory Irankunda.
However, post-match discussions were dominated by the poor quality of the playing surface. Both teams struggled with their footing on the slippery and degrading grass throughout the encounter.
"The pitch was not good. It was difficult to play on a pitch like this. We hope to have a better pitch for the next game," said Carlo Ancelotti.
Australia manager Tony Popovic acknowledged the frustration but noted that poor surfaces are a common reality for his team in qualifying campaigns. Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine added that his team is accustomed to such conditions from their travels in Asia, acknowledging that while it is far from ideal, the challenge was the same for both sides.
The two teams are set to face each other again next Tuesday at Lang Park in Brisbane. Both managers will be hoping for a significantly improved playing surface, despite the venue hosting an NRL preliminary final just ahead of the match.