Wild celebrations erupted across Australia on Friday after the Socceroos secured a vital draw in their do-or-die match against Croatia to reach the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time.
Melbourne’s Federation Square had to be closed off after more than 9 000 people jammed into the precinct to cheer the Australians to a 2-2 thriller in which the Socceroos had to come from behind twice to draw level.
Thousands more blocked off streets in the city centre for the game in Stuttgart that kicked off at 5am local time (7pm GMT on Thursday), lighting flares and banging drums after a pulsating match that gripped the sports-mad nation.
Spectators ignored the mid-winter chill and chanted ”Socceroos, Socceroos” as daylight broke over the city, bringing football fever to a country that normally reserves its sporting passion for cricket.
Police reported fans jumped on the tops of trams and garbage trucks making their early morning collections in celebration.
For Melbourne resident Enver Enver the result represented vindication for a team written off by many after qualifying for the tournament for the first time in 32 years.
”People have been laughing at us, calling us the Soccer-whos and stuff like that, we’ve shown them now,” he said after the final whistle.
In Sydney, 1 000 people gathered at Circular Quay, yelling ”Aussie, Aussie, Aussie — oi, oi, oi” after the match.
Prime Minister John Howard stayed up to watch the match wearing a Socceroos tracksuit from 1974, the last time Australia reached the finals.
Howard admitted he was nervous before Harry Kewell’s late strike brought the scores level at 2-2.
”Well he is King Harry for all of us now and it was a fantastic performance,” Howard told Channel Nine television.
Other politicians were also inspired by the draw, with state leaders in New South Wales and South Australia floating a plan to host the World Cup in 2018.
While fans watching Australia’s match against Brazil earlier this week were happy simply to stretch the world champions in a 2-0 loss, expectations against Croatia were much higher.
”I always thought we would win [through to the second round],” Tanny Hall said in Melbourne. ”Even after they [Croatia] scored in the second minute I knew we would come back.”
Alex Afifi did not share her confidence, watching with heart in mouth as Australia went behind for the second time before Kewell sealed the draw the Socceroos needed to advance.
”I thought we were gone around the 70th minute,” he said. ”They were attacking and we stepped back a bit. We didn’t play as well as we did against Brazil but just to be through is unbelievable.”
The draw came too late to make newspaper deadlines but websites hailed it as a historic breakthrough.
”Kewell saves the day,” said the Sydney Morning Herald, while Sydney’s Daily Telegraph said a ”bizarre and unbearably tense” match had ended in joy for Australia.
Australia’s sizeable Croatian community, numbering about 200 000, was out in force for the game, cheering on the Socceroos’ opponents to good-natured jeers from the rest of the crowd.
Australian Croatian National Hall spokesperson Paul Saric said loyalties were split among a crowd of 350 people who watched the match at a Croat community centre in the regional city of Geelong.
”I suppose it’s a mix of congratulations and commiserations,” he said. ”At the final whistle everyone was up and cheering because it was Australia. If we had to lose to anyone, we’d prefer it to be them.”
He said the Croat community were in a win-win situation, boasting six players in the Socceroos squad of Croatian heritage and three in the Croat squad who grew up in Australia.
Victoria police superintendent Mick Williams said 14 people were charged with possessing or lighting flares but the overall crowd behaviour was good.
He said large numbers were also expected to watch the Socceroos’ next match against three-time champions Italy on Tuesday morning.
”We expect a huge crowd, much larger than today,” he said.
An upbeat Howard refused to rule out the Socceroos upsetting Italy’s fabled Azzurri.
”It’s obvious that the team spirit is very strong and I think they will continue to surprise a lot of people.” – AFP
