Big 5: John Aloisi and the Socceroos send a nation barmy

International soccer is a bottomless well of classic matches to watch again. These five in particular stick in the memory.

Socceroos striker John Aloisi fires home the winning penalty in the shootout against Uruguay in 2005 to seal Australia’s place at the 2006 World Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Australia’s 2005 World Cup qualifying playoff against Uruguay in Sydney was one of those nights that you will never forget where you were as events unfolded. Honours were even on aggregate after a 1-0 result at Telstra Stadium cancelled out Uruguay’s win in Montevideo, and still locked up after 30 minutes of extra time, the Socceroos’ hopes of making a first World Cup finals appearance since 1974 came down to a penalty shootout.

Mark Viduka missed from the spot but Mark Schwarzer saved two of Uruguay’s, giving John Aloisi the chance to seal the deal. His trusty left boot fired the ball into the onion bag, before he whipped the shirt off in celebration as the stadium, and the nation, went barmy. One of the greatest nights in Australian sport.

England’s tears

On the other side of the shootout coin is England’s defeat to West Germany in the World Cup semi-final at Italia 90.

I still see this match in snapshots: A lucky deflection to put the Germans ahead; Gary Lineker’s late equaliser; Paul Gascoigne’s tears after a booking in extra time meant he would miss the final if we got that far … And then the penalties, those bloody penalties … Chris Waddle blasts over the bar and suddenly it’s all over. And then the air leaves the room and you just feel numb …

Lineker said last week that on the night he was distraught but didn’t cry, but when he watched the match again, 30 years on, he couldn’t hold back the tears.

Jack’s heroes

The Republic of Ireland’s opening group game of the USA 94 World Cup was against a star-studded Italy, played on a searing hot day at Giants Stadium in New York. Few gave Jack Charlton’s ageing side much of a chance but after Ray Houghton put them ahead after 11 minutes with the sweetest of left foot strikes from outside the box, the Irish, marshalled by the magnificent Paul McGrath at the heart of the defence, held firm to earn a famous 1-0 win.

My future wife and I watched the first half in the airport bar at London Gatwick before we had to board our flight to Ibiza. However, the large contingent of Irish fans heading for the same destination refused to leave the bar until the final whistle and delayed our departure. The captain kindly kept us up to date with the game and there were only cheers when the stragglers finally made it to their seats. It wasn’t a quiet flight.

Cup final matches hype

If ever a side epitomised the beautiful game, it was the Brazil team that beat Italy 4-1 in front of 107,000 fans at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City in the 1970 World Cup final. All too often cup finals disappoint, but Brazil, with Pele leading the line in his third World Cup final, were breathtakingly good against the defensively minded Italians.

One of the greatest World Cup final performances was crowned with one of the tournament’s best-ever goals when Brazil captain Carlos Alberto smashed home from the edge of the box to round off a flowing move that started near their own penalty area and involved all bar two of Brazil’s outfield players.

A proper nailbiter

Australia’s 2-1 win over South Korea in the 2015 Asian Cup final served to hammer home the feeling that the Socceroos don’t make it easy for their fans. South Korea were looking for their third Asian title, Australia their first, and on home soil to boot.

The final was not for the faint-hearted. Massimo Luongo’s fizzing strike late in the first half gave the Socceroos a lead they held until they all but had the trophy in their fingers, until Son Heung-min stunned the home fans by levelling matters in stoppage time. No need for penalties this time around though, as James Troisi finished off some determined work by Tomi Juric late in the first half of extra time to land Australia their first major trophy.

The crowning moment of Ange Postecoglou’s turbulent reign as Socceroos coach.