Buoyed bythe spirit of Upton Park in 2003,withthat midweek pump up from Postecoglou and Guus Hiddink still ringing in their ears,Arnold’s men refused to yield. They’ve made a habit of that recently,this team,and it deserves to be better recognised,at home and abroad. The consolation prize is knowing that they will surely be better for this experience.

“There’s not many national teams that have the courage to go and to press against big teams,because I’ll tell you,most national team coaches,they think they haven’t got enough contact time with the team,so they ask for a more calm approach. We always go full out,we press where we can,and I think that is admirable from our side,” said assistant coach Rene Meulensteen,deputising in the post-match presser for Arnold,who lost his voice yelling from the sideline.

Granted,this wasn’t England’s strongest line-up. Gareth Southgate rested big guns such as Harry Kane,Jude Bellingham,Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice,clearly with an eye to their Euros qualifier with Italy on Tuesday night. Of those players,only Rashford saw any minutes.

That’s not to say England rolled out a “weak” team by any stretch,at least if we’re talking recognisable names at famous clubs in respected leagues. But man for man,the Socceroos matched them,and after settling quickly into the match,they generated a glut of terrific chances.

Keanu Baccus had a curling shot on goal tipped wide by Sam Johnstone. Then 10 minutes later,an effort from Mitchell Duke went just past the post. At a corner kick not long after that,Rowles had a lash from close range;he,too,probably should have scored.

And so should have Watkins,breaking free on the left as England sprung forward immediately after that corner kick. He got in behind and rounded Maty Ryan,but his shot bounced off the post,and the ball was cleared to safety by Cameron Burgess.

Yet,the Socceroos kept coming,and just before half-time,a brilliant ball from Baccus put Martin Boyle through and his lay-off for Ryan Strain was only just kept out by a diving Lewis Dunk. The corner of gold-clad Aussies at the other end was loving it.

They picked up right where they left off in the second half,but simply went to sleep for the goal;there’s no other way to put it. From that moment,the game lost its sting,and then its fluency as both sides rang the changes.

Australia never stopped,and came close to an equaliser when Connor Metcalfe hit the post from a corner kick in the 80th minute. But they didn’t get what they came for.

News,results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday.Sign up for our Sport newsletter.