GB triumph in front of biggest ever women’s football crowd
It was a glimpse into a parallel universe where rival fans share jokes, mounted police pose for souvenir snaps and the Brits beat Brazil.
Women’s football is on the up in the UK and these Olympic Games look like being the forward pass to propel the likes of Steph Houghton (pictured), last night’s GB scorer, onto the back pages for all the right reasons writes Anna Doble.
Attendance last night at wembley stadium was 70,584 – a record in the women’s game – as Team GB did what their male counterparts have so often failed to do: play fearlessly in front of a home crowd.
They went ahead within minutes and never looked like relinquishing their advantage despite the talents of Brazilian stars Marta and Cristiane.
Houghton’s goal, set up by Karen Carney, was backed up with a robust defensive display and an unrelenting desire to win. Manager Hope Powell was ever present on the sideline, urging her players on to a historic victory which sets up a quarter-final clash with Canada.
It was incredible, the best experience of all our lives. Kim Little
“It was incredible, the best experience of all our lives,” midfielder Kim Little (pictured in action below) said afterwards.
The crowd, a blend of union flags and Brazilian banners, was populated with thousands of cheering children; some in school groups, some with their families. A carnival atmosphere, as the cliché goes, and the very thought of terrace trouble at this fixture would have been a farce.
Massive thank u 4 all the support shown last night!wembley was rocking.A night never to forget for women’s football in this country #TeamGB
— Alex Scott (@Alexscott2) August 1, 2012
“Any chance we can just have the ladies football team instead of the men for the rest of time?” tweeted writer and presenter Emma Kennedy after the final whistle.
As tens of thousands of happy fans thronged out into a twinkling west London night, it was that thought in all our heads.
With no gold rush yet for GB, this 1-0 win was a key moment for the home nation at London 2012.
And with GB’s gymnasts, equestrians, hockey players and footballers all on a roll, while our solo stars have yet to shine, perhaps the many small flames which merged to light the Olympic cauldron at Friday’s opening ceremony were telling us something: the “Team” in GB is the clue.
