On the ground in Qatar: 'I never doubted them once'
From French-induced despair to Danish destruction. We came to Qatar hoping to score a single goal, let alone get to this stage.
From French-induced despair to Danish destruction. We came to Qatar hoping to score a single goal, let alone get to this stage.
On the eve of the Socceroos third run on the field at the Al Janoub Stadium, French-induced despair has been replaced by a desire for Danish destruction.
It’s been a tumultuous lead-up between games. Our Qatar debut left little to fantasise about, and as we filed into the stadium to play Tunisia, the doubt for our team’s World Cup future was replaced with desperation.
Then it happened: a shock defeat in the face of the 30,000-large Tunisian expat community flooding the stadium, with a 1-0 Australian victory that put us back in the running for a top 16 spot.
Our humble fan base set out onto the streets with a taste for the blood of our Group D competitors - we’d just sent one red-and-white flag-bearing country down the qualifying ladder, it was time to send another home completely.
Wednesday afternoon began with a ceremonial “shooey” from the self-appointed hype leader of our fan group as delusions of grandeur loomed larger than the alcohol bill we racked up to get to the state of euphoria.
On the bus ride over, we played trivia for a fun moment, before remembering our team’s World Cup track record was nothing to brag about. We swapped the humility of the past for the focus on upsetting our girl Mary, Princess of Denmark’s top 10 in the world team.
“You’re red, you’re white, you’re going home tonight!”
It was the loudest Australian fans had ever cheered, having finally come up with a chant that involved more than two words. We outnumbered the Danes in fan numbers and were outnumbered by the rent-a-crowd guests who picked on a whim which team they’d support based on the free flag they’d grabbed from the outside stall.
A slow first half rife with near misses and pointless passes was compensated for by a breakout goal by Mathew Leckie, with 30 minutes left in the game. Bizarre results from France v Tunisia popped up on the screen, signalling the former number one had benched their best players and were taking the match easy with their qualifying spot already secured.
Australia had no choice but to win at this point, as a draw would knock us out completely. With relentless counterattacks, overturned penalty decisions, offside antics, and a referee who needs to get his eyes checked later, we’d claimed the 1-0 victory.
It was a defining moment for the future of the team. The historic win. The first time the Socceroos have made it through to the second round since the “Golden era” in 2006 brought the current players out of the shadows of your Cahill’s, Kewell’s, Schwarzer’s, and Neill’s and to the forefront in their own respect.
At the bar, one-half of the celebratory party scrolls through Twitter to see the platform illuminated with celebratory flares across Fed Square, George St, and the nation cheering back home.
The other half scrambles to add additional nights to their accommodation and change flights pre-booked the day after Australia’s last group d game. We came to Qatar hoping to score a single goal, let alone get to this stage.
As the $45-pints flow and I grin and bear sinking a corona, I turn to my dad, raise a glass and say "I never doubted them once".
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