The bad news for football fans is that AT&T Stadium in Arlington is one of 16 massive stadiums set to host games at the new and supposedly improved 48-team FIFA World Cup in 2026.
If we ever wanted proof of just how badly FIFA has lost control of football, we got it at lunchtime on Sunday when the Socceroos risked life and limb to play out a 2-2 draw with Mexico on one of the most dangerous-looking artificial pitches we’ve ever witnessed.
Midfielder Jackson Irvine went off in the 88th minute with what looked like a serious ankle injury after his trailing foot got caught in the plastic turf as he tried to make a tackle on Mexican substitute Roberto Alvarado.
It capped a frustrating final half-hour for Graham Arnold’s men, who had taken a two-goal lead when Martin Boyle blasted home from the penalty spot just eight minutes after Mexico had missed an earlier spot-kick when Santiago Gimenez saw his effort clatter against the inside of the post.
Many of the 21 fouls awarded throughout a niggling, ill-tempered clash were the direct result of the two teams struggling to deal with the unpredictable bounce of the ball, with the patchwork-like pitch looking like it was hand-stitched together about 15 minutes before kick-off.
The stadium will need remedial work before it hosts World Cup football – and that includes converting the pitch from artificial to a natural grass surface – but it hosted Sunday’s friendly primarily because more than 52,000 Mexican fans could pile into what is normally the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
And they made a strange sort of atmosphere befitting the occasion – with a high-pitch din from the stands accompanying every Mexican touch of the ball for the first quarter-hour or so – regardless of where it occurred on the pitch.
That’s modern football nowadays – with FIFA largely appealing to a cashed-up, middle-class fanbase that doesn’t always seem to be watching the action too intently on the pitch.
It’s probably a good thing they weren’t, in Arlington, with both teams forced to resort to diagonal long balls in behind the fullbacks to try and break open the game.
It was the Socceroos who had much the better of the first-half proceedings, and they opened the scoring after Guillermo Ochoa pushed a long-range Connor Metcalfe effort around the post that was already going wide.
(Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Harry Souttar still had plenty to do when Martin Boyle swung over his corner, but the out-of-favour Leicester City defender got in front of his marker to head the opening goal into the far corner.
Mexico thought they had found a way back into the game when Keanu Baccus handled a Luis Romo volley, only for Santiago to slam his rocket of a penalty off the inside of the post.
Having narrowly escaped conceding the equaliser, the Socceroos went two goals ahead when Riley McGree cleverly skipped between two defenders and drew an obvious foul just after the hour mark.
After missing the World Cup through an ACL injury, Boyle went the safe-as-houses route of simply smashing the resultant penalty straight down the middle.
The Socceroos looked like they had the game in the bag, but Mexico were awarded a second penalty when debutant Cam Burgess shoved Uriel Antuna in the box when the ball looked like it was going to run out of play.
This time substitute Raul Gimenez converted, and when Harry Souttar inexplicably stooped to let another long ball bounce, substitute Cesar Huerta reacted by gleefully smashing it home on the half-volley soon after.
You could argue about the fairness of the Mexicans levelling from two goals behind, but in truth the Socceroos turned in a sloppy second half.
On the plus side were debuts to 27-year-old Ipswich Town defender Burgess and new Middlesbrough man Sam Silvera, even if Irvine’s late injury was obviously a huge negative.
And if there’s one thing we learned from Australia’s strange 2-2 draw with Mexico on Sunday, it’s that NFL stadiums with artificial pitches are the last places FIFA should ever allow international fixtures to be played upon.
Garry
Roar Rookie
"Matildas FIFA Women's World Cup star Kyra Cooney-Cross signs for Arsenal in Women's Super League"
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
I think McGree could do it, but not from the left side of the pitch. He should be playing more central and push an actual left winger out there. Goodwin on the left and McGree with a little more freedom in the middle with Baccus/Oneil/Devlin/Irvine in behind holding the centre of the park???
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
been in the news too, with a prominent NFL injury
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
I think it was Scott McDonald, maybe another but of that ilk, who said saw him as a youngster on the Gold Coast and said 'he was banging them in' and recommended him to Roar academy.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
D'Ag's is a fine player for the limited skillset that he has - that sort of pressing forward is a really thankless task hes never been the sort of player to score bag loads of goals (except for that season in the QNPL with the roar) even in his junior days he was never prolific
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
Natural Grass is preferred in Gridiron Football to Turf but Turf is choses by some teams for various reasons usually Weather and Durability Out of the 30 NFL Stadiums 16 Use Grass while 14 use Artificial Turf while in the CFL 8 Use Artificial Turf and 1 uses Grass.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
To be fair its a NFL Stadium and the Dallas Cowboys have there home opener against the New York Jets on the Weekend (I think Sunday US Time Monday Aus time)
Grem
Roar Rookie
More naked truth - the grand final May float again. Interesting news article on the Roar above this one.
chris1
Roar Rookie
just the bare facts
Garry
Roar Rookie
"full Brazilian-" is that the naked truth? :stoked:
Grem
Roar Rookie
Sydney FC might be going full Brazilian- nearing a deal for a Brazilian CB to replace Wilkinson.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Yes, Hrujstic is a good prospect... but has not yet convinced me that he is our playmaker to step into Mooy's boots. Robertson is a long way off yet, don't see him coming into calculations for the Asian Cup or making that step up, however, he may just prove me wrong.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Australia have struggled playing against Japan and Saudi Arabia and thats the reason they didnt qualify 3 losses and a draw against them even if they corrected the two draws into wins. The two goals conceeded against Mexico where because of balls over the top with the backline about midway betwen the half way and edge of the area. You have to look at Western United and Macarthur giant central defenders when they park the bus hardly anyone scores against them, when they play up field they are a leaky sieve.
NickA
Roar Rookie
I've forgotten about Deng as well.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Hrujstic when fit? He’s pretty classy. Robertson in a year or so?
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Perfect point SW. Given our possession stats are so low against the big nations and high against Asian countries, we need a true playmaker in the mould of Mooy playing the Asian countries. Your point is a good one as we need to find that player who can hold the ball and in a split second find a telling pass to unlock the tight defence. I didn’t see one on Saturday. We need to have someone in the squad who can read the game like Mooy used to do for us, who could unlock tight defences.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
No, you're correct you don't turn down offers like that, but I would argue that we are not "Playing" against those teams,..... they "played" us and we worked as hard as we could to simply stop them from scoring. I am not suggesting we should play a "lesser" team, and probably should have chosen a better word, but I guarantee come AFC we will again find ourselves on the higher side of possession, camped in our attacking half, resorting to long balls into the box from the defenders or from set pieces, and wonder why we can't break their defences down. Or going toe to toe with Japan/SKorea/Saudis and not knowing what to do with the ball when we have it. If GA doesn't schedule these types of games, or at least instruct the team to push for a high possession rate, I guarantee we will all be on here in 6-12 months time calling for his head again, because he cant get a win when in possession. Socceroos possession stats for the last few matches: Vs France 37%. Vs Tunisia 43%. Vs Denmark 36%. Vs Argentina 38%. Vs Argentina 44%. Vs Mexico 29%. I am predicting less that 40% Vs England. This is in stark contrast to the type of game we will play Vs say Oman where we had 56% possession and could only draw. Or the 1 all draw with China when we had 65% of the ball or the Olyroos 72% vs Turkmenistan resulting in a 1 nil loss. They are the games GA needs to be preparing for and trialling Plan B, C and D to grind out a result against a stubborn defence as we lead up to the AFC and WC qualifiers.
Garry
Roar Rookie
and I thought you were merely an animal lover :silly:
NickA
Roar Rookie
Interesting take. I understand your point re playing 'lesser' teams but it's important for us to play high ranked nations so the team can realise they can match it, but also learn from mistakes that will be punished. You don't get that from lesser teams in the same way. I think we play enough of them during the course of early Asian qualifiers. You don't just turn down the chance to play against Argentina, England, Mexico.
NickA
Roar Rookie
I mean apart from Circati, none of the others have even close to the experience that the CBs chosen have. I think Rawlins could be some player but I do think he's being played at CB because of necessity (at least for the NT - similar conversation, why in the world has J Italiano become a RB all of a sudden?). Can't say I know much about Calusic, but he's still very young (although Sydney are very good at benching talent and never playing them - if he was at Adelaide/Mariners maybe he's already debuted). Similar to Valkanis and Okon Jnr but they are players for the junior squads, not for the Socceroos, as you say. Triantis needed another year here, but Sunderland would be a good experience. All I am getting from this is that there are not a lot of CBs playing. May as well pick Lachlan Jackson or Alex Grant.