Well done boys!

Couldn't let the socceroos 3-1 dream result against Japan go without mention...how good was it to see the socceroos: (1) not just play a game in the world cup; (2) not just score a goal or two (or three if you like); (3) but actually win the bloody match!? Who would've thunk it?? This is a red-letter day moment, the sort where you ask the question of where were you when it happened. The fact that most would reply that they were glued to the teev at an ungodly hour, mindful of the fact that they had an early start ahead of them doesn't diminish in the least the significance of this momentous achievement. All up I'm stoked.
Postscript: The remarkable dream run of the Socceroos at the World Cup saw our boys defy all expectations and miraculously advance to the second round. As fabulous as and as unexpected, surely then no one could have predicted a more heartbreaking end to the second round game against Italy where our guys dominated for most of the match. Very Shakespearean (sp?) i thought. Deciding to award a penalty shot in the dying last seconds of a game? Against Lucas Neill !? Are you sure? That was probably the most cruel and most calculated way for a ref to have intervened in a game's outcome. Sour grapes? Maybe. But to those cynics who said that if Australia wanted to win they should have capitalised better on Italy's early red card. Well Portugal had a similar scenario on the weekend after a particularly thuggish display by lager lout rooney resulted in his early ejection too. When portugal had to endure extra time and penalties to get their win no one begrudged them that did they?

Nevertheless, it was an exciting, heady time to be an Australian there for a while and i'm glad that the guys had made as far as they did. As for now i say bring it on Portugal! I hope you guys get a chance to knock the socks off Germany or France or *mwhaha!* Italy!