Socceroos beat Czech Republic 4-0 in warm-up for Russia – but hardly anyone turns up

It’s just two weeks until the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia but football fans in Austria didn’t seem to know or care.

The Socceroos smashed the Czech Republic 4-0 in a warm up game at the NV Arena in Austria in front of an almost empty stadium. 

The Instagram page for NV Arena posted a handful of pictures from the game and at first it is hard to tell there is even an international friendly happening. 

The severe lack of supporters for either team didn’t stop Australia from running roughshod over the Czech Republic team, scoring their first goal with ten minutes remaining in the first half. 

A producer for 9 News, Luke Cooper took to Twitter to describe scenes from inside the stadium.   

‘This has to be the emptiest stadium I’ve ever seen for a Socceroos game – friendly or not. What an embarrassment,’ the tweet read. 

The severe lack of supporters for either team didn’t stop Australia from running roughshod over the Czech Republic team, scoring their first goal with ten minutes remaining in the first half

Some Aussie fans still managed to make it to the game to cheer on their side 

Mat Leckie was a stand out player for the Socceroos scoring two of australia’s four goals. 

Other fans took to Twitter to give their perspective on why the crowd was almost on existent.

‘So I’d like to think I’m pretty on top of most things Sokkah. But I didnt even know the Socceroos where playing tonight until about 5 mins ago. If I, a fan of the sport had no clue, how are others even supposed to know? Surely its not just me living under a rock!,’ one user wrote.

‘I’ve only just realised that the Socceroos have a game tonight. Probably my own fault but the general media output here around the World Cup and general build up is pretty poor imo (sic),’ another added.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup begins on June 14 with the kick off game for the tournament scheduled to be Russia against Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.