Thousands packed into Melbourne’s famous square and set about creating an atmosphere unrivalled in recent Australian sporting memory.
Fed Square told attendees ina tweet not to bring flares or beer. But whenwinger Mathew Leckie scored,those at the rear of the square soon couldn’t see the screen as it was shrouded in a glowing wall of red flare mist.
There were some mishaps,but no injuries reported. The broadcast inexplicably cut-out midway through the first half,and Victoria Police says it will investigate the use of flares and throwing of bottles. Police also said they arrested three people for unrelated incidents at the live site.
But eventually,several thousand revellers were glued to the screen,biting their fingernails and green-and-gold scarfs,waiting for the final whistle after Leckie’s second-half strike.
A short time later,the roles were reversed,and it was the Australian players,still sweaty,in their change rooms in Qatar crowding around screens watching the mayhem unfold in Melbourne.
“One of the first thing we all checked,when we came back was the celebrations,videos and flares,mate,it is unbelievable,” Socceroos defender Harry Souttar told SBS.
“Those scenes you could place them in anywhere across the world,South America,Europe,mate,even better.
“The best I have seen. Buzzing. Amazing,obviously.”
Victorian-raised left-back Aziz Behich was blown away to see his home city lighting up for the team.
“That’s my city,I’m from Melbourne. This is what this game does,” Behich told SBS.
“After we saw that footage,after the last game,we said we need to create that again. That is what pushes us even more.”
The crowd at Federation Square included many fans in their late teens or twenties. Of them,very few would have vivid memories ofJohn Aloisi’s famous penalty in 2005 that sent Australia to its first World Cup in 32 years.
But almost all the football diehards (yes,we’re not calling it soccer today) among the heaving mass would have seen the YouTube clips of Melbourne’s central plaza going offwhen Aloisi’s penalty went in.
Now,in 2022,this was the next generation’s Australian football moment.
Noah Slater was with his mum,Cassie,when Leckie scored to put Australia ahead,easing the anxiety that had circulated in the crowd moments earlier after Tunisia took the lead against France. IfLeckie hadn’t broken the deadlock,the Socceroos would be flying home because of the Tunisia victory.
“As a Melbourne City fan,I was just proud. He’s not a standout player that you thought would be scoring it,” said Slater.
“It’s just hard to put into words. It’s really emotional because it’s the first time in my lifetime – I wasn’t old enough for[the] 2006[World Cup]. It’ll be the equivalent.
“Runs like this make you fall in love with the game. And it’ll make a whole generation fall in love with the game.”
Amelie Blackham,Josie Wong,Keisha Jacobs and Maya Jacobs also travelled from Melbourne’s south-east for the broadcast. The four girls play in the same football team at Mentone Grammar.
“We just came to this one because it’s our most exciting one. It’s like our make-or-break,” Keisha said.
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Before the game,despite some optimism,the group thought Denmark would be too strong and the Socceroos would be eliminated.
But now,they’re no doubt weighing up Australia’s prospects against true giants of the sport – Argentina,led by Lionel Messi – and possibly considering another early start at Federation Square,albeit at the slightly more friendly time slot of 6am on Sunday.
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