Australia 2 - Nigeria 3

David commented on how some fans left with a smile on their face...

Yesterday was near perfect. I arrived in Sydney at 1:30pm, beautiful weather (in comparison to Melb). Went to that play area near Fox Studios and the SCG for lunch, and there were endless numbers of people all decked out in Australian colours. I walked upto the SFS with some 2 and half hours before the Matildas kick-off, and there were already swarms of people in green and gold. It was inspiring, having come from Melb, where people wear Italian national shirts, or AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Man United, etc, leaving those wearing Socceroo shirts standing out like a sore thumb.

With the stadium pretty full in time for the women's match, again unlike Melbourne, the Matilda's game was excellent. The roar that went up just before the Matildas scored was only surpassed by the noise that was made when the freekick has headed into the goal. Those perhaps thinking of missing the games on Tuesday at SFS, should realise a win against Brazil will get the Matildas into the semi-final.

Yes, we were all in shock when that Nigerian #13 who should be competing in the Men's 100m sprint, scored his second. But the Olyroos kept at it. I can remember thinking, if we get one back before the halftime, we will have a real crack at it in the second half. We did, and it was great. When Kasey got that next goal, I put my voice box out of action for another week, as it was just recovering from the MCG match... The second half started well, and Curcija was unbelievably unlucky not to score with his header. Once Colosimo's error had happened, I expected Australia to pepper the Nigerian goal, without scoring and breaking out into tears at the final whistle. It's what happens to us Australian soccer fans time and time again. It's what we do. This is what we prepare ourselves for year after year. We get ourselves on a big high of expectation, and come crashing down with a big thud. We then spend the next year getting over the sadness and do it all over again.

Yes, I was dying to break into a crying frenzy, after the match, right through to the time I boarded my plane at 5:40am. But I didn't. This is what being an Australian soccer supporter is all about. If I didn't follow Australia in these times, then I won't appreciate the times of success as much as I should. Didn't realise the airport wouldn't be open until 5:00am, sat outside the glass doors for 4 hours, watching a tv switched on to Channel 7. Whilst not wanting to sleep on a bench like some other people, and faced with the nausiating boredom of nothing to do, I re-lived that pain again. Channel 7 showed the game again in full at 2:00am. It was like being at the game again, not knowing the result. The amount of chances not capitalised on made me shout expletives to the glass Qantas doors.

Bought a copy of the Sydney papers, and yet again see their quality in terms of soccer coverage below Melb standards. Adrian somebody from the Telegraph, wrote a backpage story on Viduka being a 'Marked Man', because two Leeds fans formed an opinion of dislike on an internet forum. What gutter journalism. I also paid that paper $6.60 yesterday to have my message appear in the olympic messages column. There was no sign of it.

I will be forfeiting my tickets to the MCG on Tuesday to watch the Matilda's and Olyroos play on TV.


Written by Markian Jaworsky