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Like many farewell parties, you didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
There were a few sparks. Some promising fancy dances with a shy one. But ultimately no goodbye kiss to remember.
Australia’s 1-1 draw against South Africa on Tuesday night was a party for 50,459 fans in Sydney, bidding their heroes farewell for the World Cup in Brazil.
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou was, as customary, a wallflower. Leaning on the dugout, hands in pockets, brow furrowed, he could have been waiting for a bus.
It just might run over him, and his players, in Brazil.
Postecoglou arrived at the party with a plan.
He started just two players – acting captain Tim Cahill and midfielder Mark Milligan – with more than 15 international caps.
But against a South African outfit often reluctant to make advances, the Socceroos were hot and cold.
The heat came from livewire Tommy Oar and goal-scorer Cahill who, as always, was the life of the party before being substituted in the 62nd minute.
Oar was born a natural right-footer but now is a leftie – he took childhood advice from his dad to practice with his non-preferred foot a little too far.
The diminutive 22-year-old sizzled – in one early purple patch he had three shots in two minutes, before setting up Cahill for what Cahill does best: nodding in a goal.
Along with creative Matthew Leckie, their attacking heat contrasted with a cold defence which remains Postecoglou’s headache.
Postecoglou’s backline burden fell on Alex Wilkinson (two caps), Ryan McGowan (nine caps), Ivan Franjic (eight caps) and Jason Davidson (six caps).
Centre-back Wilkinson was wobbly.
He was caught in no-man’s land when the visitors scored and later tangled with Franjic, who was forced off, just two days before the plane leaves.
A Socceroos spokesman quickly allayed any fears for Franjic, saying he suffered “just a knock”.
The knock on his fellow defenders appears more serious with Ryan McGowan and left-back Jason Davidson unable to prevent Australian hearts skipping a collective beat whenever the South Africans pressed.
The Socceroos’ attack was threatening enough, with Oar, Cahill and Leckie dangerous, as was substitute Ben Halloran.
And the midfield, held together by the industrious Mark Milligan, was stable enough and will get stronger when captain Mile Jedinak (groin) and Mark Bresciano (back) return.
But the defence?
If they were unsteady against the South Africans, ranked 66th in the world and missing half their established starters, how will they fare against relentless attacks from Spain, the Netherlands and Chile?
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