Over The Moon - We're Into the Second Phase

Went to Wenty Leagues Club to watch the soccer today, but given the importance of the Italy v Czech Republic and Ghana v USA games, we decided to go for the long haul and watch all three games (Australia v Croatia being the third) all through the night.



Midnight to Dawn... 3 games... all with results that meant things to Australia.



Our perfect plan was a Czech, Ghana and Aussie wins that would have set up a Ghana v Australia Round of 16 match, but the Italians spoilt that scenario and won, so we are now up against Italy on next Tuesday morning at 1am.



But that is in the future... I want to talk about what happened last night / this morning...



Sitting in an auditorium with about 2-3 hundred Aussie fans, we were all aghast at the decision by Hiddink to play Kalac in goals over the well performing Schwarzer. The theory being with Kalac being 6'7" tall, he would stifle the strong Croatia aerial threat. True... but did Hiddink know Kalac was a klutz with the low ball?!?!



Game starts, crowd is boisterous with "Aussie Aussie Aussie" chants and a rather sombre rendition of the national anthem. People were too tired and too emotionally tense to sing! We applauded loudly when the ceremonies ended and the game kicked off.



2nd minute - A Croatian free kick and they score with a direct curving shot around our wall. Kalac beaten in the top right corner. 1-0 Croatia and we were currently "OUT" of the 2nd Phase. So much for having a near 7' tall goalkeeper!



7th minute - Viduka is deadset rugby tackled in the 18 yard box. The Croatian defender clearly has him firmly around the waist and is dragging him off the ball. English ref Poll does his first blunder and waves play on.



For the next half hour we assault the Croatian area and have about 70% possession through this period. Many half chances and opportunities lost until the 38th minute where the Croat's hand ball (rather deliberately - hand of God style) and Craig Moore (not Viduka!) step up for the spot kick.



Its well taken and the score is 1-1 and we are now IN the 2nd phase.



Half time and we are buoyant and bacon & egg rolls are served by the club en masse for brekkie.



Second half and we start slow. Croatia come out firing to get the lead back and we hold on dearly. Then in the 56th minute the selection of Kalac comes again to front of mind as an innocuous shot, straight at him bubbles as he parries it (why not catch it!) and spins over him and into the goal. 2-1 Croatia and only half an hour remains.



We must score to pull us back from the brink and we are not awarded another penalty for another hand ball by the same player and the Croatians do a better job spoiling our attacks than they did in the first half. We haven't made any substitutions at this stage and we look tired. Could we be going out!



Aloisi (a striker) is subbed for midfielder Grella and Bresciano comes on for Sterjovski and we are now firing again with some fresh legs. So many contentious decisions through this period and also Harry Kewell hit a point blank shot to the keeper. 1m either way and we would have scored.



Then in the 79th minute, we score via a clinical strike from Harry Kewell after a ricocheted cross. Some contention here that the last touch before Kewell was off Aloisi's shoulder / head and perhaps offside. With replays its hard to judge so no wonder the ref awarded the goal... finally some justice.



We had also subbed Moore for another striker Kennedy and we were now playing what was a 3-2-4 formation! All out attack was required and then delivered.,... but we had 12-13 agonising minutes with a whole bunch of strikers playing fullback to stop a 3rd Croatian goal.



It all gets blurry here. The crowd is clapping and booing EVERY kick, pass and whistle. The Croatians have a man sent off. Then Emerton is cautioned twice and he is off too for Australia. 10 on 10 men. At least twice did Croatian players man handle the ref and we believe one was sent off... but with the commentary drowned out by noise, we had no idea.



A Croatian is awarded what is believed his 2nd caution of the match but the ref fails to notice this and does not issue the mandatory red card! Will we protest if Croatia score? The team is very tired and we hold on.



3 minutes of stoppage time and when the clock reaches 2min 55sec of that we seemingly score, and we go nuts. 3-2!! We win outright! But its turned down for no real clear reason. Then arguments ensue and then we think the referee blows his whistle in a full time manner. But the Croats argue some more and seemingly try to play on, yet a wide shot shoes some players shaking hands and swapping shirts. Its utter pandemonium and we have no idea if the game is over.



Finally we see a TV crew on the field and we jump for joy - yes the game is over! Its 7am and I had sat in the club for a bit over 7 hours taking it all in. 4 coffees, 2 beers (at the start) and 2 cokes and a toasted chicken, cheese and tomato sandwich around 2am got me through plus the bacon & egg roll during half time. We talked a hole bunch of weird shit in between breaks out of sleep deprived delirium and I found myself raising things to talk about but had already talked about them 2hrs before.



I drive home exhausted have a snooze and then take the kids to school. Now more sleep before Niki comes home from the hair dressers...



Forza Australia! And we'll do it all again vs Italy next Tuesday morning (1am kickoff I believe) at the Wenty Leagues Club... no need to break the jinx after being their 3 times so far!