More than 36,000 fans filled the stands at Olympic Park - a record number - in a nod to the Matildas' growing profile and popularity with Australian fans.
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The Matildas' upward fan base trajectory continued on Saturday in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup on Australian soil, with 36,109 fans watching as they went down 3-0 to world champions the United States.
The biggest crowd before Saturday for the side was at a double-header with the Olyroos, which attracted more than 33,000 fans.
100 CAPS
It was a day of milestones for the home side, as Tameka Yallop recorded her 100th cap with her family watching on from New Zealand.
It marked the third match in a row a Matildas player had reached the milestone, after Sam Kerr and Alanna Kennedy made their centuries earlier this year.
Yallop was given the captain's armband for the occasion and was the fifth player in 2021 to record 100 international appearances - joining Emily van Egmond, Kyah Simon, Kerr and Kennedy - and the 12th Australian woman in history.
Debutants
Continuing on with the milestone moments, Jessika Nash made her senior debut for Australia and slotted into the starting XI in central defence.
Tony Gustavsson went with a young central defence duo in Nash and Courtney Nevin, with the regular pairing of Kennedy and Clare Polkinghorne ruled out.
Kennedy was ruled out with a quad injury, and Polkinghorne was rested - alongside striker Emily Gielnik - who is still recovering from a broken toe.
Seventeen-year-old Nash became the 218th Matilda on Saturday. Fellow debutant Charlize Rule was ready to go on the bench, but will have to bide her time to become Matilda No.219.
The US also fielded four debutants in the match.
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Second-fastest goal conceded
The opening goal of the match came 24 seconds in, but it was not the fastest goal the Matildas have conceded.
It was the second fastest, just behind fellow North American side Canada's opening goal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 against Australia. The Canadian side scored in 20 seconds, four seconds faster than the US.
Black armbands
The Australians wore black armbands at Sydney Olympic Stadium to honour the death of Sam Kerr's cousin.
Despite the No.9 carrying that into the match she stepped up to plate. She was double marked throughout, but fired off a number of chances, forcing US goalkeeper Casey Murphy - on debut - to make a number of saves.
Following the 3-0 loss, she remained one goal away from equalising Tim Cahill's 50 national team goals, and two away from taking out the title of Australia's top international goal-scorer.
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