Over a year ago I put in bids for all the Football tickets played in Sydney. SOCOG have been earning interest off the funds they took in kind for those tickets. Today I finally got to see what my money gets me.
Though I was happy Sydney won the Olympics I think I was happier with the word "won" than the word "Olympics". Over the past few weeks I have seen Sydney tarted up with the kind of intentionally garish makeup most commonly associated with those among us much loved but little appreciated.
I hardly recognise the city I have inhabited for the past 19 years and it makes me sad. The place is so unbearably crowded it seems the population has trebled and the multitude of special signs, banners and rules to cope with the event mean those who come visit see Sydney as those at SOCOG would like Sydney to be seen, rather than how it is. Ah well these qualms are minor to the one I bear since Friday when I found out the Australian Football team are not housed with their compatriots but instead share the area of the Olympic Village occupied by China. Now I am sure the Chinese are pleasant neighbours but the idea is to house the Olympic team together, instead the footballers have been segregated and made to feel like they do not belong with the rest of the team. Whoever is responsible for this detestable state of affairs is, quite simply, a traitor to Australia and should have their passport cancelled.
At the AFL grand final prior to the Olympics a parade of Olympians from many sports made an appearance. The footballers were not invited. They were staying about 300metres away in the team hotel and would have been available but for an invitation. That wasn't really traitorous, the AFL is just shit scared of soccer....I don't know why.
With this state of affairs is it any wonder that players sometimes choose to stay with their clubs where they are at least earning a wage. Infact wonder why any show up at all. Clearly they love to play for Australia...what if the Australian swimming team had been accommodated seperately from the rest of the Aussie Olympians? It would have been a trigger for riots in the streets. My apologies....the game is what you care about.
Australia had lost their match to Italy and the other two sides had shared a 3-3 draw which meant a loss for Australia here would mean their match against Honduras would be purely academic.
In the spirit of the drive for a better education Australia heroically lost. The day started off with the Womens match between the hosts and Sweden, a 1-1 draw could have been a 2-1 win to the home side had the last minute lob over the keeper gone in rather than landed on the roof of the net.
The $5 programme was exceptional value but the queues to get in were ridiculous. The price we pay for security checks of everyone I guess. Once inside I found myself sitting almost on halfway and taking some happy snaps, only to become very unhappy when I found out the next day that the small matter of film had escaped my attention. True story.
When the Olyroos started off they were looking confident. Foxe finding Lazaridis down the left flank with raking passes seemed to provide a bit of a theme and Viduka was heavily marked but always managed to hold the ball and lay off a pass. Still the early period of the game probably favoured the Nigerians who boasted speed, and lots of it. Both Nigeria's goals came from fast incursions into the Australian defence catching the defenders off guard and clean finishing made sure Nigeria rammed home the advantage. The celebration after the second goal would have been at home in the floor gymnastics.
Slowly, though, Australia managed to get more of the play, perhaps thanks to the Nigerians relaxing. First Mark Viduka came close to getting one back but put it wide across goal. However the vociferous fans got what they wanted not long after thanks to Hayden Foxe getting a decisive deflection on a free kick. The crowd then went ballistic when Kasey Wehrman equalised just before halftime and things looked promising for the second half.
Indeed the start of the second half was promising, but it seemed to be the double sending off of both team captains which proved the turning point. Rather than the intelligent play we had been seeing it seems the Aussies saw red and went for it. This is inspirational when it comes off but really kind of sucks when it just means overhit passes and doubling the fouls (both sides guilty there). Then another moment of madness let Nigeria through when a Colosimo header back to his keeper was intercepted and slotted into the net. It was heartbreaking, well not for the Nigerians. Their elation was plain to see. In some way I can take comfort in this to know that Australia had made them this grateful for the gift.
After this the Nigerians stayed pretty much in their own half, and defended their lead. It was disappointing but to be expected. The few forward incursions by Nigeria were marked with hopeful shots, some of which came very close to extending their lead. However it was the Australians who controlled possession and the bulk of the play but were unable to find the lifeline an equaliser would provide. When Clayton Zane swung at air from only metres in front of goal it was almost like Graham Arnold's failed header against Iran some 3 years prior.
It just wasn't to be.
The full time whistle prompted many tears from players and seeing some of them hugging the crowd at the far end of the stadium and others lying on the ground in despair was devastating. I guess I should be used to it. As a fan of Australian Soccer you really get your fair share of disappointment, and I hasten to add that I do not lay the blame at the players.
It's true at times we have really been second best, but that does not hurt any less. This time we more than held our own against Italy and Nigeria, two medal favourites but were let down by two errors. That said it hurts far less to miss out on the next round of the Olympics than the World Cup and the learning curve for our players continues upward and that has to be a good thing for the future.
We'll get 'em next time. Well done boys, I'll see you on Tuesday against Honduras. This time I'm bringing film.