The scorer of a stunning 25-metre free-kick – the first he has taken for Australia – Jedinak led by example as Ange Postecoglou's adventurers made the world champion look pedestrian at times in Kaiserslautern with their ingenuity, energy, pace and enterprise.
Leading into the match, Australia's captain had played just a single game for his club Crystal Palace in three months due to international duty, injury and suspension: “We [had] a plan to build on what we achieved at the Asian Cup and we knew it would be hard, but the boys were really brave tonight and were probably unlucky not to have won the game,” he said.
“This result and performance takes it to the next level for us in terms of belief and if there were any of us who didn’t believe before, they certainly will now.
“Everybody gave their utmost and to produce a performance like that against quality opposition like Germany makes you very proud.”
Jedinak saluted the application of Australia’s front three – Mathew Leckie, James Troisi and Nathan Burns – who never gave the German defence a rest, whether it had the ball or not.
“We know what these guys can do and it’s just about getting them the ball and they gave the Germans a torrid time. It was great that we surprised them like that," Jedinak added.
On his goal – a vintage curling free-kick – Jedinak said: “I just felt something really good was going to happen and when I hit it the keeper [Ron-Rober Zieler] could only parry it in and I was just delighted about contributing like that.
“It was my first free kick for the Socceroos ... I just had that feeling that it was a good distance and good angle and you back yourself 100 per cent – it was good to see it go in over the wall.”
The goal put Australia in front after Troisi had squared the game in reponse to Marco Reus’s opener.
Australia led until the 81st minute when substitute Lukas Podolski pounced to rescue Germany.
For all the exhilaration and elation of more than matching Germany both technically and tactically for the 90 minutes, Jedinak also felt a trace of regret, explaining: “There’s an element of you that has to be a bit disappointed not to have won.
“If you are going to take it up to that next level you have to be a little unhappy that we didn’t hold on, especially considering the amount of chances we created [to the likes of Burns, Leckie and Troisi].
“It's part of us growing as a group that even against the likes of Germany we needed to dig in for the last 10 minutes and shut them out.
“We have to take that lesson on board and I think we will do that. But that's a minor thing.
“But you have to respect the opposition also ... they carved out that chance and they were clinical in finishing it off [through Podolski] and it really doesn't take much gloss off our performance.”
