Australia has sealed qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany with a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Uruguay.
Trailing 1-0 after the first leg in Montevideo, Marco Bresciano equalised the aggregate scores midway through the first-half. No further goals were scored in normal time or the extra half hour, leaving penalties to determine who would take the last spot in the World Cup after 150 minutes of football. Harry Kewell scored first for Australia before Mark Schwarzer saved Dario Rodriguez’s first attempt. Lucas Neill, Gustavo Varela, Tony Vidmar and Fabian Estoyanoff all converted for their respective countries, before Mark Viduka agonisingly pulled his attempt wide to the left. Schwarzer was once again the hero though, with a diving save to deny Marcelo Zalayeta.
John Aloisi then stepped up and sent the crowd into raptures, winning the game with his successful spot kick. After 32-years away from world sport’s biggest stage, Australia is back.
A different feeling for this game
Even before the game had kicked-off, there was a special feeling around Sydney Olympic Park on this night. The crowd, predominantly decked out in gold filled parts of the stadium early to help create a raucous atmosphere. Opinions are divided over the reaction to the opposition’s national anthem, but when the crowd voiced their opinion of the Uruguayan anthem (three days after having their own booed in Montevideo) it really felt as though this was a proper football crowd. Throughout the game they played a big role in keeping the energy of the team up with the tension of the occasion clear in the air. Nothing will beat the almost unanimous roar of celebration when Aloisi’s kick hit the net and it will be footage that lives long in Australian national history.
Click NEXT for more major talking points
