Australian soccer has finally come of age on the world stage as the Under 17 team, the Joeys, have qualified for the World Cup Final by defeating the USA on penalties.
An exhausted Australian coach Les Scheinflug was proud of his chargers. "Winning a place in the Final is the greatest moment for me, the boys, Australia and all of Oceania".
Although there were memories of that fatefull day two years ago as the Australians went two goals up only to see a spirited fightback by the Americans to bring it back to 2-2 by full-time.
With no score in sudden-death extra-time the game went to penalties to decide a winner. After eight shots each, Australia emerged the better by 7-6.
The Australians came out the more confident at the start and a well-worked corner kick gave them the lead after only 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
From the set piece Jade North headed the ball on at the near post. It rolled invitingly across the six-yard line and found Aaron Goulding who slotted the ball home.
Only a few minutes later the Americans had a chance to hit back. A through ball from the left by captain Kenny Cutler nearly found the head of Landon Donovan, but Cutler's pin-point accuracy was missing and Australian keeper Jess Kedwell-Vanstrattan was not tested.
The US kept the pressure up with Cutler sending a shot over and a clearance under pressure by the Australian keeper nearly becoming an embarrasment, but fortunately Kyle Beckerman could not take advantage.
The game flowed from end to end with both teams having good opportunities to score. A free kick just outside the box went to Shane Cansdell-Sherriff who's low hard shot went straight at D. J. Countess.
Just over the half-hour mark a Cansdell-Sherriff cross cleared the defence and found Louis Brain at the far post, but a great save from Countess saw no addition to the score.
Yet in the 35th minute Australia did double their tally. A delightful through ball by Lucas Pantelis from the half-way line found Scott McDonald. McDonald checked back inside, rounding a defender and then from the edge of the box sent a low shot past Countess.
The USA hit back within a minute. Donovan received the ball on the outside of the box, showed his skills by rounding two defenders, and then finished it off placing his shot in the top left hand corner.
With the momentum having turned the Australian were on the back foot but they were able to hold out until the break. Meanwhile, as in the Quarter-Final, Jo Di Iorio was brough into the game after the break.
Although Australia had the first shot in anger, one fired over the bar by Cansdell-Sherriff, the Americans continued with their pressure and quest to tie up the score.
A US free-kick from the right found Oguchi Onyewu who headed on to Donovan. His headed shot went straight at the Australian keeper.
Yet the lack of awareness in the air in defence was to see the Australians pay dearly. In the 52nd minute of play a corner from the left by Donovan found Onyewu to rise above the pack and glance his header home.
This set up a great finish to the game with both sides searching for the winning goal.
The first chance fell to the US when a defensive error saw the ball won by Jordan Cila who passed to Kyle Beckerman but his shot went wide.
Then it was time for some magic by Scott McDonald. He played a one-two with Jade North, made a run down the right before cutting into the box and sending a shot that forced a good save from Countess.
With fifteen minutes left in the half Onyewu found himself free on the right. His low cross was met by Donovan at the near post with the Australian captain Mark Byrnes trailling. Kedwell-Vanstrattan had positioned himself well to block the shot wide for a corner.
Then in the next minute DaMarcus Beasley took the ball into the box from the left. His low pile-driving shot, come cross, went across the goal with the US attackers desperatley trying to get a touch.
Another Australian defensive error led to the ball falling to Abe Thompson, who had only come on four minutes earlier, but he was too slow to get his shot off and Adrian Madaschi pushed the ball away for a corner.
The last real chance of normal time fell to Australia. North ran with the ball into the box and slid it to Di Iorio but his volley went wide.
So came the end of normal time and the 2-2 scoreline had matched the only other time the two teams had met at this level, that being in Scotland in 1989.
The two periods of extra-time saw a pair of exhausted teams slogging it out, whilst watching the clock and making sure they didn't make an error.
In the 104th minute Australia had their chance. A cross from Cansdell-Sherriff was met well by Dylan Macallister, but not well enough as his header went agonisingly over.
Then it was the Americans sole chance for glory in the 110th minute when substitute Adolfo Gregorio slid into the box, but alike Thompson before, he was too slow allowing Madaschi to clear the danger.
The last incident of note in playing time surprised everyone when after what appeared to be an innocuous tackle by American Seth Trembly on Wayne Srhoj saw him sent off by Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno Ruales.
That was the end of extra-time and now the unfortunate decider of penalties. Australia won the toss and were made to go first.
Although Kedwell-Vanstrattan saved the second US kick, Countess countered stopping Australia's fourth and on it went to sudden-death.
All the way to the eighth kick where after Josh Kennedy calmly slotted home, US captain Kenny Cutler sent his attempt high and wide.
Celebrations began for the Australians whilst it was just sorrow for the Americans and consolation for Cutler.
Les Scheinflug stated "the team has come a long way and are getting stronger and stronger, but we will have to lift for the final.
"Credit the USA as they came back with strength."
When asked about the penalties, Scheinflug said his team had been practising for six weeks.