This was published 7 months ago

The Matildas are preparing for a “stop-starty” game and an increased police presence at Gold Coast Stadium on Thursday, but commended Iran’s “really brave” appearance at the Asian Cup under difficult circumstances.

Iran lost their opening group-stage match 3-0 to South Korea on Monday night, a couple of days after Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed by the weekend’s US-Israeli rocket attacks that have also killed civilians in Iran.

The women’s national football team arrived in Australia last week amid an already precarious political situation and welfare concerns, with the country’s internet blackout making it near-impossible to contact players and staff.

So far, their build-up to their second major tournament has been marked by one of the most significant blows to the country’s leadership since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran coach Marziyeh Jafari and her players have declined to speak about the situation, and media have been shut down by Asian Football…