The Coon Dog
29-10-2007, 04:22 PM
We all know just how Australia qualified for the 2006 World Cup, but who can recall how we went?
Australia was drawn in Group F, along with Japan, Croatia & Brazil. They had to play each other & after they had all played 3 games, the top 2 teams progressed.
First up, we met Japan. Mark Schwarzer was cannoned into by one of the Japanese. Much to his amazement the referee didn’t blow for a foul & it’s suddenly 1-0 to Japan.
With 6 minutes remaining things looked grim for the Socceroos. Suddenly Tim Cahill scored to rescue a point. Not content with a point Australia applied enormous pressure in search of a winner. Once again it was Tim Cahill on 89 minutes. 2-1 to Australia, within a couple more minutes John Aloisi had made it 3-1.
In the other match Brazil had defeated Croatia 1- 0 courtesy of first half Kaka goal.
In the second group matches Croatia were fancied to defeat Japan, but unfortunately for them, they were held to a goal less draw by Japan.
Australia fancied their chances of salvaging something against the highly rated Brazilians. At half time it was looking good, with the score locked at 0-0. Unfortunately Brazil scored shortly after half time through Adriano & added a second in the 90th minute through Fred.
In the final group games, Australia just needed a draw against the Croatian’s to progress. In the other game Brazil was assured of qualifying, whilst Japan needed a miracle. It wasn’t to happen for them as they were beaten 4-1 & eliminated.
It was a strange situation in the game between Australia & Croatia as Australia had many players of Croatian heritage & Croatia had a number of Australian born players.
Guus Hiddink sprung a major surprise by dropping Mark Schwarzer in favour of Zeljko Kalac in a move that could have backfired disastrously.
Within 2 minutes the Croatian’s led courtesy of Darijo Srna. Australia were rewarded for their constant pressure in the 38th minute when Stejpan Tomas handled the ball in the area. Craig Moore duly converted the penalty to level things.
The game changed completely 11 minutes into the second half when a fairly innocuous shot by Croatian skipper Niko Kovac somehow eluded Kalac & the Croatian’s somehow found themselves leading 2-1. A loss would see the Socceroos eliminated.
Croatia seemed content to preserve their lead & allowed the Aussies to lay siege to their goal. Constant pressure paid off on 79 minutes when Harry Kewell was ‘Johnny on the Spot’ to slam home the vital equaliser.
The match ended in much controversy & signalled the end to International Football of English Referee Graham Poll, who, caught up in the moment, amazingly handed out 3 yellow cards to Croatian Josip Simunic, before dismissing him.
Australia finished second & were drawn to play the winners of Group E, Italy.
I can’t really recall too much of the match other than the fact Australia were not intimidated & found themselves with a numerical advantage after 50 minutes as Marco Materazzi was sent off . Unfortunately the Socceroos couldn’t make their numerical superiority count as the Azzuri defended for their lives in the hope of taking the match to a penalty shoot out.
With 5 minutes of injury time played Italy were awarded a dubious penalty. Fabio Grosso marauded down the left flank and worked his way into the penalty box before falling over Lucas Neill's prone body. Unbelievably Spanish referee Medina Cantalejo pointed to the spot & Francesco Totti duly converted with what would be the last kick of the game.
It was a truly awful way to exit the competition, but Australia lost no friends & were left with a feeling of what could have been as they watched Italy go on to eventually claim the World Cup.
Australia was drawn in Group F, along with Japan, Croatia & Brazil. They had to play each other & after they had all played 3 games, the top 2 teams progressed.
First up, we met Japan. Mark Schwarzer was cannoned into by one of the Japanese. Much to his amazement the referee didn’t blow for a foul & it’s suddenly 1-0 to Japan.
With 6 minutes remaining things looked grim for the Socceroos. Suddenly Tim Cahill scored to rescue a point. Not content with a point Australia applied enormous pressure in search of a winner. Once again it was Tim Cahill on 89 minutes. 2-1 to Australia, within a couple more minutes John Aloisi had made it 3-1.
In the other match Brazil had defeated Croatia 1- 0 courtesy of first half Kaka goal.
In the second group matches Croatia were fancied to defeat Japan, but unfortunately for them, they were held to a goal less draw by Japan.
Australia fancied their chances of salvaging something against the highly rated Brazilians. At half time it was looking good, with the score locked at 0-0. Unfortunately Brazil scored shortly after half time through Adriano & added a second in the 90th minute through Fred.
In the final group games, Australia just needed a draw against the Croatian’s to progress. In the other game Brazil was assured of qualifying, whilst Japan needed a miracle. It wasn’t to happen for them as they were beaten 4-1 & eliminated.
It was a strange situation in the game between Australia & Croatia as Australia had many players of Croatian heritage & Croatia had a number of Australian born players.
Guus Hiddink sprung a major surprise by dropping Mark Schwarzer in favour of Zeljko Kalac in a move that could have backfired disastrously.
Within 2 minutes the Croatian’s led courtesy of Darijo Srna. Australia were rewarded for their constant pressure in the 38th minute when Stejpan Tomas handled the ball in the area. Craig Moore duly converted the penalty to level things.
The game changed completely 11 minutes into the second half when a fairly innocuous shot by Croatian skipper Niko Kovac somehow eluded Kalac & the Croatian’s somehow found themselves leading 2-1. A loss would see the Socceroos eliminated.
Croatia seemed content to preserve their lead & allowed the Aussies to lay siege to their goal. Constant pressure paid off on 79 minutes when Harry Kewell was ‘Johnny on the Spot’ to slam home the vital equaliser.
The match ended in much controversy & signalled the end to International Football of English Referee Graham Poll, who, caught up in the moment, amazingly handed out 3 yellow cards to Croatian Josip Simunic, before dismissing him.
Australia finished second & were drawn to play the winners of Group E, Italy.
I can’t really recall too much of the match other than the fact Australia were not intimidated & found themselves with a numerical advantage after 50 minutes as Marco Materazzi was sent off . Unfortunately the Socceroos couldn’t make their numerical superiority count as the Azzuri defended for their lives in the hope of taking the match to a penalty shoot out.
With 5 minutes of injury time played Italy were awarded a dubious penalty. Fabio Grosso marauded down the left flank and worked his way into the penalty box before falling over Lucas Neill's prone body. Unbelievably Spanish referee Medina Cantalejo pointed to the spot & Francesco Totti duly converted with what would be the last kick of the game.
It was a truly awful way to exit the competition, but Australia lost no friends & were left with a feeling of what could have been as they watched Italy go on to eventually claim the World Cup.