The travelling Socceroos fans at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar went into Saturday’s do-or-die second Group D game against Tunisia at Al Janoub Stadium with nothing but blind hope.
The defeat to France, albeit thoroughly expected, was damaging to morale and had shown just where our national team now sits in the pecking order of world football.
Two hours later, after witnessing the best performance of a generation, those same fans streamed out into the hazy sunshine full of life and full of joy. The Socceroos players had just won their battle against a difficult opponent with guile and composure.
Suddenly, wearing a Socceroos shirt was a magnet for attention from the international Doha population, after having previously walked barely unnoticed through the streets. What a transformation.
With the game kicking off at 1pm local time, with the stadium a little out of town in the district of Al Wakra, and with any licenced bars only able to serve alcohol from 11am, there was no chance of a pre-game. Those with access to beer could partake in a breakfast of champions, but for most, it was a 10:30 meet for an 11am metro to the end of the red line, and a lengthy shuttle bus to the stadium.
After joining the appropriately-coloured red line it was clear that the Socceroos fans would be hopelessly outnumbered. There were Tunisia shirts and flags everywhere, and despite defiantly chanting all the way on the metro as more and more red joined at each station, the Australians were completely overrun by their North African adversaries who boasted a colourful songbook, one of them a catchy number about marijuana that everyone seemed to know.
A good crowd of Aussies assembled at the giant World Cup in the concourse and there was good energy, despite the early start and the hot sun. The fan group ‘The Fanatics’ had unfurled their giant shirt – the TV cameras were all over it. There was dancing and singing, another World Cup classic occasion was unfolding. Entry to the stadium via the security checks has thankfully become a lot smoother now that spectators and staff know what they’re doing, and there was a good number of Socceroos fans in the bottom corner of the lower tier already assembled and in good voice.
The pre-game entertainment will be remembered for the Lenny Kravitz number where gremlins had got into the sound system, the artist bravely continuing despite a garbled mess of a performance. The scene up at the other end of the stadium was a growing mass of Tunisian fans, and by the time the players had emerged for the national anthems, that section of the stadium in full sun was completely red.
Behind the goals at our end, next to the main bank of Socceroos fans, was another bay of fervent supporters clad in red. Just as it read on paper, this was clearly a home game for the Tunisians and the Socceroos supporters were in no doubt that they were the visiting fans.
The first minute of the game had every pass accompanied by an ‘olé’ from the home fans, and the stage was firmly set for an absorbing first half. When the Socceroos earned their first corner of the game down by their fans, a swift counter almost caught them out, with the central defenders committed to attack, but a heavy touch saw the Tunisia chance evaporate. Graham Arnold signalled perhaps the intention of the first half when pretending to play at a ball that was headed his way into touch, intentionally missing it to use up vital seconds.
The mind games had begun.
Mitch Duke was again the target man, and from one aerial duel, he was sent to the floor holding his back, worrying signs for the away supporters. His next significant contribution though was telling. Craig Goodwin was played down the left, ignoring the probing run of Aziz Behich, he swung in the cross.
There were groans from the crowd. The ball took a heavy deflection and spun up off the ground, over the despairing jump of defender Dylan Bronn, and Duke twisted himself into position to glance the ball over Aymen Dahmen and turn those groans into cheers as the ball hit the net. The celebration in the away end was intense and prolonged. The Tunisian supporters in the bay next door had been silenced, but we’d been in this situation only three days before against the French. We were in the lead, nothing more, nothing less.
The Tunisian goalkeeper was keeping the Socceroos fans entertained with his antics, flopping to the ground in disgust when his team failed to find a final touch, and playing the part of a petulant child to perfection. Harry Soutter found himself knocked to the ground after a headed duel, revealing the soles of his copper-coloured boots, glinting in the sun. This was an ostentatious piece of flair usually reserved for the twinkle-toed striker, but you wouldn’t mess with Harry, would you?
When half-time arrived, the Socceroos were still that solitary goal in front, but had threatened to add to their tally. In fact, the game had been fast and full of incident, both teams trying to play football despite the close battles going on all over the pitch.
The half-time break allowed the fans a moment of respite; it also allowed the bathrooms to become an impromptu smoking room for the home fans, and gave them time to rearrange themselves to join the ‘active’ section behind both goals. The section next to the Socceroos fans was becoming so crowded that a number of Australians sitting amongst them decided to relocate to the refuge of the official away section, seat or no seat.
No changes at the break for Australia, but Tunisia brought on Ferjani Sassi, who immediately made a difference. There was now an outlet for some fast-running attacking football, but Mat Ryan was equal to everything that came his way. The game was on a knife-edge, Tunisia looked dangerous, but when Craig Goodwin released substitute Jamie Maclaren, he did well to wait for the cavalry and fizzed in a brilliant cross.
A matter of millimetres separated Mathew Leckie’s boot from a terrific goal, his run just too late and the ball rolled harmlessly through to the other side. Fran Karacic made way for Milos Degenek, as coach Arnold looked to shore things up at the back, and he enjoyed his walk around the field in front of his adoring fans.
With ten minutes remaining, only the cool head of Aaron Mooy could maintain possession in midfield when others may have panicked, and he found himself advanced down the left wing at one point, the fans looking on in admiration of his athleticism, going against the common misconception of his lack of pace and stamina. Mat Ryan made a great save going to his right and had to field two shots that were luckily straight at him. When Kye Rowles slipped unexpectedly and let in substitute Taha Khenissi for a run on goal, there was a feeling of inevitably amongst the away fans, but they need not have worried. The enormous strides of Souttar mowed down the Tunisia striker and he executed the most delicious of defensive tackles, sending Khenissi sprawling when he should have done better.
Fists punched the air, the Tunisian fans and players were distraught and Arnie stood arms aloft on the touchline. The Soccreoos had done it. The players made a point of applauding each section of their supporters, the home fans having quickly left with their tails between their legs. This was what World Cup football was all about and the joy was unbridled as the Australian fans clapped off the players.
The mood in the mixed zone afterward, where the players meet the press, was in complete contrast to Tuesday. The predictable choice of man of the match, which tends to be the highest-scoring individual player on the winning team, was debated – Mitch Duke may have gotten the nod, despite warming the bench for 30 minutes, but Harry Souttar’s performance had been out of this world. Riley McGree put the win down to hard work and commitment, citing Martin Boyle’s situation as a reason to fight. Craig Goodwin had obviously already viewed the scenes unfolding in Federation Square in Melbourne and reminded everyone that Australia were not there to make up the numbers. He reiterated his desire to take Australia further than they had ever gone in the World Cup, and compared tonight’s occasion to the Peru qualifier, where a cauldron-like atmosphere had urged them on to great heights.
Jamie Maclaren said he would forgive his Melbourne City teammate for not converting his cross in the second half, and let the waiting pack of journalists know that he was part of a team of honest blokes that simply want to do well. When asked if he had anything to say to the fans, he made it clear that they would be ready to ‘go again’ against the Danes on Wednesday.
For the fans though, Wednesday was now a lifetime away. Now was the time to party. The mini-fanfest on the stadium forecourt was full of Australian fans pumped up on emotion and adrenaline. The sober fans needed nothing to help them celebrate, but eventually the stadium experience had to end, and the majority of Aussies made their way back to central Doha and to the Hotel Intercontinental. It was here that the result would be feted, the performance analysed over cold pints of Qatar’s finest, and plans would be made on how to change flights to accommodate a round of 16 game, just in case.
Australians could dream again. Faith had been completely restored in Graham Arnold and the players had put in a massive shift. The Socceroos were back!
The time is now, and, as the catchphrase goes for this iteration of the World Cup, ‘now is all’.”
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