Roma have taken the opening honours in the International Champions Cup, edging Real Madrid 7-6 on penalties after a stalemate at the MCG.
Over 80,000 turned out for the occasion but booed the 0-0 result on full-time.
No one could find the net during regular time but they couldn’t miss in the shoot-out, roaring to a 5-5 scoreline and forcing sudden death.
Roma’s Seydou Keita scored the winner after goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis dived to his left to deny new Real Madrid man Lucas Vazquez after 12 straight penalty goals.
Despite the wealth of footballing talent on the ground, none found a regular path to goal in 90 minutes.
It became clear very quickly most in the bumper crowd had come to see Cristiano Ronaldo, who enjoyed giant cheers whenever he touched the ball.
Sadly for his adoring fans he played only a bit-part in the friendly.
Ronaldo was outdone by fellow forwards Gareth Bale, Jese and Norwegian wonder-kid Martin Odegaard in new coach Rafael Benitez’s experimental attack.
Roma enjoyed the best of an open first half without clear cut chances.
Francesco Totti sparkled as Roma’s creator in chief, while Gervinho looked the most dangerous man on the ground with his direct, attacking runs.
After four minutes, Daniele De Rossi found the crossbar from a corner, with Totti unlucky not to score after fine footwork to gather the rebound.
Real’s best chance of the first-half fell to right-back Carvajal, who belted a half-volley just high on 35 minutes.
Playing largely as a left winger, Ronaldo looked a frustrated man without the ball and was wasteful with it.
He departed along with seven of his teammates at halftime, with Roma making nine changes.
Much of the game’s momentum left with the 17 substitutes.
Roma substitute Juan Manuel Iturbe looked a likely spark but much of the crowd’s attention had turned to making paper planes.
While Benitez criticised the state of the MCG pitch before the match, the quality on it wasn’t much better.
At the other end, Karim Benzema gave Real a sharper attacking edge with Danilo and Vazquez making their debuts for the Spanish giants.
With six minutes remaining, De Sanctis’ right foot denied Vazquez with the chance of the match – with the same result in the shoot-out earning Roma the win.
conchie
Roar Rookie
Of course it was my opinion, how can something so subjective be fact.
conchie
Roar Rookie
At least the paper plane flying was first class, it's quite an art.
Mitcher
Guest
Seriously mate. Even in an argument with Fuss. The joke is on you.
Al
Guest
I drove from Sydney, watched the game and drove back. I expected the "training session" so enjoyed it as it is. The paper plane tournament during the game is getting out of hand and a little embarrassing.
Ian
Guest
why not mention the obvious? it annoys you. you can't sook over what other people type now you know. 'the afl was a better spectacle'....aahh, so it's just an opinion then isn't it. if AFL was so good it would have broken out of being big in half of one country over the course of it's existence. for over half of our population it's not the biggest game. as you'd say....LOL LOL keep watching the big teams play now. those teams probably aren't all that interested, it is a preseason game for them. that's not hard to see. where's the AFL international cup? or interstate VICS vs the rest? as you'd say........LOL LOL
Wynter
Roar Pro
I went and despite the game not being the best of affairs I enjoyed it, why I did was for the opportunity to see Totti before he retires as he's long been one of my favorite players. Even if it was 30 minutes it was incredible seeing how skilled he was on the ball. Every touch, every pass was inch perfect and those 30 minutes stood out as incredibly for me. Will I go see it in Aus again? Probably not but I still loved watching it last night
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Well well well. Hmmmm. MVFC. Might actually fork our some hard earned to watch our local boys get a football lesson or two ;)
Neil
Guest
That post made my day.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
Considering how poor the field was I thought it was a decent match. The technique of the players is unreal.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
It was reported in The Age this week that the FFA receives a $250k fee for every match played by foreign teams on Australian soil. So, I make it a total of 10 matches during the 2015 off-season: Chelsea vs SydFC Spurs vs SydFC Villareal vs BRI LFC vs BRI Villareal vs AUFC LFC vs AUFC ManCity vs MelbCity Roma vs RM Roma vs ManCity RM vs ManCity. That's an easy $2.5 million extra for AUS football for $0 expense and $0 risk. As an AUS football fan, I'd like to extend my sincere "thank you" to all the Eurosnobs & haters of local Australian club football who make these tours possible. Please continue to work hard, so you can pay for 2016 exhibition matches. The talk is that we'll have: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Arsenal & MVFC in the ICC Melbourne in 12 months
Brick Tamland of the pants party
Guest
A quick glance on wiki will tell you "the ICC is an annual club association football friendly exhibition competition'', not sure anybody has tried to pass it off as anything else.
Gareth
Guest
I think that was my problem, I tuned in with high expectations and was let down a little. It's the first time I've watched a Real Madrid game though so I felt like I had to get it done at some point.
144
Roar Guru
Can't expect Madrid to be playing with great efficiency and high tempo after only a few weeks with a new manager. it will come but how fast or slow it takes will sort out their season.
conchie
Roar Rookie
Why state the obvious, everyone knows soccer is played the world over and Australian football only in one country at any decent level. It is not apples V apples, all i am stating is that the soccer game last night was a dead set borefest. Our Australian game does exceptionally well considering considering our small population and real strength in only half the country. Across the 4 sports i watched last night the AFL game was by far a better spectacle than all other 3 sports, although the comparison with cricket is not fair as it is a bat and ball sport.
SVB
Guest
Yeah, guys might not be 100% clean, but the competition is still there. The French countryside and Pyrenees look amazing, and SBS are doing a good job of broadcasting it with Mike Tomalaris and Robie McKewen. Still something about the Tour that isn't sanitised like most other sports. Maybe because they go out into the streets and villages where all the people are.
nickoldschool
Guest
But don't you think it's people's responsibility to know and understand what they are about to watch conchie? Sure the marketers will always sell it as the 'big event of the year' if they know the public is naive enough to believe it. I have attended a few cricket and afl games in my life (2 sports am not familiar with) but I chose competitive games rather than a friendly and in any case, although I didn't love what I saw I thought 'well maybe this sport is just not for me' rather than 'what! Have been conned, this was rubbish!' . We are responsible beings.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
1. RM vs Roma: Football training match 2. WCE v Collingwood: Best AFL competition in the world The fact you even watched the training match. The fact you're comparing the ratings with the world's best AFL competition. Game over. Thanks for adding to the ratings. It's much appreciated.
nickoldschool
Guest
I do watch a fair bit of it too (trying not to overthink 'are these guys all clean'...?). Am still amazed by the crowds that we get at those friendlies in oz though. I think it's great for the sport at least financially and I'd rather have those teams play pre season games here than in KL or Seoul. It's good that we now compete against those markets. I think we fans will adapt and see things differently in the next few years and watch those games for what they are, exhibition/pre season/ training games while the main meal is 'being cooked'.
conchie
Roar Rookie
I guess when people fork out hard earned they have reasonable expectations. When people watch what is purported to be the best in the world they also have reasonable expectations as well, if it is just practice matches don't attempt to pass it off as something it is not
SVB
Guest
Yeah, true nos. I just find it all a bit fake, so as usual I have to vent :) . I am loving Le Tour at the moment though ;)