Dawn of a new era for victorious Socceroos

The Socceroos ushered in a new era for the game in Australia by snaring the first major honour in their long and colourful history.

socceroos

The Socceroos players savour the moment (AAP)

A goal in extra time from substitute James Troisi gave the Socceroos a 2-1 victory over Korea Republic.

A sublime strike from rising star and player of the tournament Massimo Loungo had given Ange Postecoglou's men the lead on a night of raw passion at Stadium Australia.

But when it looked like the Socceroos had done enough to win the match, up popped star player Son Heung-min with an injury-time goal to send the contest into extra time.

Troisi snatched the winning goal when he stabbed the ball home from close range.

It was nothing less than the Australians deserved and they now can look forward to a period of sustained growth with the belief that in master coach Postecoglou they have a leader who will continue to make the team the swashbuckling and adventurous outfit we all want to see.

"The goal in the last minute really tested us as a group," a relieved Postecoglou said later.

"But the players stood up once again and full credit to them. I couldn't be more proud of them and it's great for our country,

"Credit to Korea, I thought the two best sides were in the grand final, playing off for the trophy.

"It was a game worthy of bringing the champion out and I thought the boys showed those championship qualities tonight."

It was not always pretty but, as they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

The Socceroos showed what they are made of in winning the trophy, turning it on when they needed to and fighting to the death when the occasion warranted it, as was the case in the final.

And the crowd responded brilliantly, riding every tackle, cheering every clearance, jeering every Korean mistake and raising the roof of the place when Australia scored.

Stadium Australia is only 16 years old but it already holds a special place in the hearts of Socceroos fans.

The national team does not have a national stadium where it plays its big matches like England does.

Yet the maligned arena that was the centrepiece of the 2000 Olympics has become the spiritual home of the Socceroos.

Many feel the stands are too far from the action and if not full the stadium lacks atmosphere.

Yet when the 80,000 stadium is almost bursting to the seams as it was for this compelling final it becomes a coliseum of passion, colour and sound.

It was here that John Aloisi scored the famous penalty against Uruguay that took the green and gold to the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

And it was here that Josh Kennedy popped up with the match-winning header that gave the Socceroos their ticket to the 2014 World Cup.

Both teams went into the final match with guns blazing and in search of a rare moment of glory on the international front.

The Socceroos had a first major honour in their sights while the Taeguk Warriors sought their first Asian title since 1960.

A physical and uncompromising confrontation between two old rivals was always on the cards and that is how it panned out.

Korea had its chances in the first half, emanating mostly from the cultured feet of Son Heung-min who was a constant menace to the Socceroos defence with his positive runs on and off the ball.

At one stage only a desperate, lunging tackle from Loungo prevented the Bayer Leverkusen striker from opening the scoring.

Luongo's contribution to the Socceroos' cause took a dramatic turn just before half time when he produced an example of his prodigious talents with a memorable goal.

He received a deep pass from Trent Sainsbury, took a touch with his right foot, then another with his left and from the edge of the penalty area beat Kim Jin-su with a low shot to the corner of the net.

The same net that meant so much to Aloisi and Kennedy over the years.

It was the first goal Korea had conceded in the whole tournament.

"We set out on this journey before the World Cup and I think the boss put the main thing forward that we have to have belief in ourselves because the boys we have and the type of group we have is different than most clubs and national teams," Luongo said.

"He said together we can make history and we have. No words can describe it."

The Socceroos would not let Son's dramatic equaliser dampen their spirit or soften their resolve to win the trophy and just before the end of the first period of extra time Troisi wrote himself into the history books with his opportunistic goal.

At the Aloisi end of the ground, of course.


Share
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service. Read more about Sport
Have a story or comment? Contact Us

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service.
Watch nowOn Demand
Follow SBS Sport
5 min read
Published 31 January 2015 10:00pm
Updated 1 February 2015 12:52am
By Philip Micallef
Source: SBS

Share this with family and friends