Darwin hosts its first Asian Cup qualifier match, deepening cultural ties between nations
Darwin has hosted its first Asian Cup qualifier match, in which Australia's northernmost neighbour, Timor-Leste, clinched a narrow victory over the Maldives.
It marked the first time a match part of a major continental competition has been played in the Northern Territory.
The game was part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)'s 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, with Timor-Leste's win meaning it is still in contention for round 3 of the competition.
Speaking before the match, Timorese defender Jackson Pereira Fowler said for him and many of his teammates, the match was an opportunity to showcase their talents and culture in a country where many Timorese had sought refuge after fleeing war.
Pereira Fowler, who was born in Australia, said playing in Darwin would be extra motivation for the team because some considered it "their second home".
"The atmosphere would definitely make us feel more at home for the players from Dili, and it would be good for us as a team," he said.
The decision for the qualifier to be held in the NT came after the construction of new sporting facilities in Dili left the Timor-Leste team without a suitable pitch.
That led the Timor-Leste Football Federation to ask Football Australia and the federal government for the game to be played in Darwin.
In a statement, Football Australia said it was "proud to support its fellow ASEAN Football Federation member association, Football Federation Timor-Leste, by approving Darwin as the neutral venue" for the qualifier.
Off the field, Consul-General of Timor-Leste in the NT, José Amorim Dias, said he hoped bringing the men's soccer team to Darwin for the crucial match would help deepen the country's ties with Australia.
"Football contributes to strengthening the bond between people … but also it helps to strengthen the bilateral relationship that Timor-Leste has with Australia," he said.
Mr Dias said he hoped to see more collaboration between Australia and Timor-Leste to address social and economic issues, which he believed would contribute to both countries' development.
Football Northern Territory chief executive Jamie Monteith said he would like to see more major sporting events played in the territory, and believed they could bring communities closer together.
"[This match] is another opportunity to bring high-calibre football to the territory from a national perspective [and] it allows our players to witness and see what international football looks like," he said.
Pereira Fowler said he believed sporting events like this could have far-reaching positive impacts for the communities involved, especially for young people.
"It will show other Timorese kids from Dili, Darwin and wherever they are … that one day hopefully, [they can] be where I am now," Pereira Fowler said.
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