It was the question about her family and friends in Iran that was too much for Sara Didar. The 21-year-old forward had been composed until that point, even as she and coach Marziyeh Jafari started to tentatively wade into the violent conflict engulfing their country.
“Obviously, we’re all concerned,” Didar said through an interpreter. “And we are sad what has happened to Iran and our families in Iran and we love [them], but I really hope … to have very good news ahead. I hope that my country will be strongly alive.”
An emotional Sara Didar departs Iran’s press conference at Gold Coast Stadium on Wednesday.Credit: AAPIMAGE
Didar, who had been leaning forward to address the media gathered at Iran’s pre-match press conference ahead of Thursday night’s Asian Cup meeting with the Matildas, sat back in her seat and bowed her head.
Her eyes had pooled with tears during her answer and, when the Asian Cup Confederation moderator ended the press conference moments later, she rushed to the exit overcome with emotion.
Ten minutes earlier, the AFC moderator had again warned journalists present to steer clear of asking questions relating to the war in the Middle East, triggered by the weekend’s US-Israeli rocket attacks that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and reverberated throughout the region.
The women’s national football team arrived in Australia for their second major tournament last week, amid an already precarious political situation and welfare concerns.
Sara Didar was deeply affected by a question about the welfare of her family and friends in Iran.Credit: AAPIMAGE
Now they are watching the biggest blow to the country’s leadership since the 1979 Islamic revolution from afar, unable to contact their families and friends due to the regime’s national internet blackout.
On Sunday, before their 3-0 tournament-opening loss to South Korea, Jafari and captain Zahra Ghanbari declined to speak publicly about the situation – the modus operandi for a group of female athletes under surveillance and pressure to convey Iran’s oppressive regime to the world as progressive.
However, on Monday night at Gold Coast Stadium, the team took the unprecedented step of standing silently instead of singing the state’s national anthem before kick-off.
And on Wednesday, one tentative question led to another.
They defended so bravely against South Korea. Where does that spirit in the team come from?
“All the players know it will be a tough game for all of us, but players are more motivated and excited to play against Australia, which is one of the top Asian teams,” said Didar, who was not in the Iran side that played the Matildas in Perth in 2023. “We are very eager to play against Sam Kerr. We love the players and also Sam Kerr.”
What does it mean for them to see so many Iranian-Australians supporting their campaign?
“In other countries, we see so many Iranians supporting us,” Didar said. “It’s really encouraged us. It’s really given us a very good feeling, and we appreciate that. For tomorrow’s match, I know that tickets were sold out. And [from] what I have seen, Australia really support their national team and it’s very valuable for me. I hope we will have a very good atmosphere inside a full stadium.”
Mary Fowler and Sam Kerr during the Matildas’ Olympic qualifier against Iran in Perth in October 2023.Credit: Getty Images
And then …
“I know that you’ve been building towards this tournament and training very hard for a long time,” a journalist ventured. “But given what’s going on at home this week, I’m sure many of you are concerned about your friends and family. How much of a distraction has that been for the team?”
The coach answered first.
“Obviously, we have so much concern regarding the health of our families and people in Iran,” Jafari said. “Nobody loves war. And we have so much concerns regarding our family or the loved ones and all other people, Iranian people who are inside the country now, who we are fully disconnected with. But here, we are coming to play football professionally, and we do our best to concentrate on our football and match ahead.”
Sam Kerr trains with the Matildas on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images
Even after Didar’s heartbreaking response had followed, it felt like a moment that could lead to more. That this might be the time to ask about the national anthem protest, and if they planned to repeat it on Thursday night. But then the press conference was shut down.
Australia’s occurred soon after, and coach Joe Montemurro opted out of discussing Iran except for expressing compassion and respect for their opponents, with whom they are sharing a Gold Coast hotel.
His main focus was on his own squad, and he foreshadowed heavy rotation from the starting XI that beat the Philippines 1-0 in Perth. The Matildas are on a four-day turnaround between Sunday’s opener and the Iran fixture, and will then have three days before facing South Korea in Sydney.
“Logic says that there will be some rotation, obviously in preparation for tomorrow night’s game, but also in preparation for what’s to come to make sure that the squad’s in good shape,” Montemurro said.
“Obviously we haven’t played together a lot, and it probably showed a little bit on Sunday, so you want to keep a little bit of continuity. So we will be looking at partnerships … looking forward to the Korea game … but it’s a great opportunity also to give [other] players the opportunity to play our football.”
Sam Kerr has been training, but the striker also played the full 90 minutes on Sunday and was spotted wearing a compression sleeve on her left calf on Tuesday, suggesting she could be rested on Thursday with Sunday’s decisive third group game in mind.
Montemurro also hinted that Chloe Lincoln, who within 24 hours went from Australia’s third-choice goalkeeper to starting the opening game, might start again. He said Mackenzie Arnold, who had been nursing a tight calf, had been training well.
“It’s really to just look forward now, seeing what we believe we need to get out of tomorrow night’s game but also also looking forward,” he said. “And it’s one of those, ‘you give it more time, we know it’s going to be perfect’.”
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