Kiss reveals all after Socceroos captain taken off before penalty shootout win

Socceroos captain Mat Ryan had no idea he was about to be replaced — his response was pure class and it continued off the pitch.

Andy Redmayne and Mat Ryan embrace. Photo: Mohamed Farag Getty and Instagram, Maty Ryan.

Socceroos captain Mat Ryan had no idea he was about to get taken off ahead of Tuesday morning’s heart-stopping penalty shootout win against Peru.

It makes his response to even more classy.

Ryan has been in goals throughout Australia’s marathon qualification campaign and coach Graham Arnold’s decision to sub him out for unlikely hero Andy Redmayne took extraordinary courage.

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That courageous decision is one of many reasons Australia will play in its fifth consecutive World Cup, beginning in November, after the 5-4 penalties win in the final World Cup qualifying play-off in Doha.

Rather than sulk at the decision to be benched, Ryan walked off the field by giving his replacement all the support he could.

Redmayne revealed after the game Ryan told him, “all the best mate, this is your time” as they embraced in the moment Redmayne came onto the pitch in the 119th minute.

Redmayne said none of the other players were told about the plan to potentially bring him on as a penalty specialist.

The Sydney FC keeper is now a national hero after he made two crucial saves in the penalty shootout to send Australia to the World Cup.

Andy Redmayne and Mat Ryan embrace. Photo: Mohamed Farag Getty and Instagram, Maty Ryan.

Ryan, meanwhile, appeared every bit as ecstatic as he would have been if he had emerged as the hero.

The western Sydney product enjoyed a rollercoaster night that included being tapped on the shoulder to conduct a drug test by anti-doping officials while his teammates continued to celebrate the win.

He also appeared less than pleased about the team celebrating without any alcohol. Qatar has strict rules against drinking in any public places — however, the rules will be relaxed for official World Cup venues later this year.

Ryan voiced his displeasure in a hilarious four-minute Instagram video where he captured some of the celebrations on the team bus leaving the stadium.

“There's no beers. There’s no beers. Where are the beers bro,” he said with a grin on his face.

The video also included a moment where he embraced Redmayne and gave him a kiss on the head.

Andrew Redmayne replaces Australia's goalkeeper Mathew Ryan. Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP.

“Here’s the man of the moment,” he said to Redmayne in the video.

“They’re going to be calling him (Dutch goalkeeper) Tim Krul now. What a moment hey.”

The laughs continued when Ryan revealed he wasn’t totally up to date on the scouting report surrounding the habits of the Peruvian players when taking penalties.

“You had one pen and he crossed it and went the other way, huh,” he said.

Then Redmayne pointed out the shot from the final Peruvian penalty taker had actually gone in the same direction as his run up indicated he was going for.

“Oh, he went that side? I guess I didn’t do my homework,” he said.

“I guess that’s why Arnie the genius made the change. What a moment. It’s a pleasure to work with you my brother.”

Ryan also posted a photo of the team celebrating on the pitch with a blunt caption hat read: “We f***ing did it”.

Redmayne, whose tactics include moving side-to-side on the goal line to put Peru’s penalty takers off, stamped a spot in Australian football folklore with the shootout-deciding save to deny the shattered Valera.

Aussie football fans couldn’t believe their eyes as Redmayne’s save gave them flashbacks to John Aloisi’s penalty shootout heroics against Uruguay in 2005.

Australia can now turn its attention to the World Cup beginning on November 21, where they have been grouped with France, Denmark and Tunisia in Group D.

Originally published as Kiss reveals all after Socceroos captain taken off before penalty shootout win