Well what can I say.
No classic but I won't forget it in a hurry.
Viduka is class, Agostino finally delivered the goods (I love Ago and hope this kick-starts his career again), Okon was making us say "Zelic who" and the rest can feel very proud of themselves. Except Kalac, but he's another who's been through the mill over this series and extenuating circumstances apply.
But Brasil dance to their own drum, orchestrated by Mozart. They have skill no money can buy or produce, but comes naturally to poor boys from Rio and Sao Paulo.
I'm really sorry it wasn't televised live/slight delay, just like two years ago it not really a game you can watch again. It should be on TV now but I'm not watching.
I have some sympathy for Zelic. Dropped without notice (scapegoat?) after flying over in the middle of the club season carrying an injury to come slap bang into the worst fiasco ever. Added to that a dreadful first game and seeing a rival get the captaincy.
The Melburnians need to get their act together, the football scene down here is alien. True, all true, so help me god but this city says "fuck you" or it embraces the sport fully [for a day or two]. I'll never figure it out.
I was going to make a banner "Thank you Socceroos" but there's no need for that, no player out there will have forgotten the reception they got. To those who arrived and stayed through this sorry series, thank you very much.
I left the stadium laughing, which was the best situation possible. No fear nor despair of two years ago. This was only a friendly but it was also far far more than that. The demons lingering from two years ago have been exorcised and I won't be spending much time pondering the game last night.
I can't even get worked up over the 2 Welsh supporters, the 1000 Greek supporters (with obligatory flags) and 40,000 "Brasilian" wankers. The Village idiots will probably escape recrimination over the series but I'm too happy at the moment to give a toss. Maybe in a week when it's apparent how close Australian Soccer came to dying yesterday but not now.
Thank you Socceroos, thank you Melbourne.
written by David Arnold