Australia 13 (Aloisi 5, Mori a few, Vidmar, Tapai, er...shit, someone, oh
and Bosnich!)
Solomon Is 0
The crowd was low (about 3,000), it was Bay 63 rather than 23, the game was a trifle one sided, but, hey, it was the opening world cup game, and as Joinery Warren would say, "Well the World Cup just has a different feel to it..."
They let you in for $20 for all six games! What a bargain. So far each goal has cost only 38 cents!
Met a few of the Bay 23 regulars at the game. Some of the originals were missing - many of them live and work miles from Parra Stadium, making a 7pm kickoff impossible. David Hill, why so early. Bay 63 was also well represented by net heads - Steve Bradbury, Tom Esamie, yours truly and list lurkers father Harry and brother Malcolm.
The first goal was scored before the the first beers were scored. From there it was a procession. For my usual short on field summary: Lazaridis played well, Zelic's form again showed signs of brilliance, Slater hit the bar multiple times and Mori is a goose. Bosnich got frostbite until the 90th minute (see below).
Cheering was intermittent, hard to muster the atmosphere. Of the usual chants, the one directed to the (obligatory) overweight security guard: "Who ate all the pies, who ate all the pies, YOU fat bastard, YOU fat bastard, YOU ate all the pies..". Later adapted with less taste to the stocky Solomans keeper: "Who ate all the people..."
Otherise the chants were a little laboured. "One nil, to the socceroos, one nil, to the socceroos" was repetitve and downright silly by "Thirteen nil, to the socceroos..."
The security guys have come up with some good lines over the years, but tonite took the biscuit. At half time one of them wanders down and says "Guys, FIFA have been in touch with us and you have to sit down. Nothing to do with us." !!!! Can you imagine Dave Hill getting the call in the private box:
"Mr Hill, Zurich on the phone"
"Havelange here, you have some people standing up there. Fix it at once"
"Yes sir.."
By the middle of the second half, it got down to "how many" or more accurately, "What's the record?" I personally hope we get to 18 zip at some point just to show the Iranians. The Solomans had a guy sent off mid way in the second half. From bay 63 I could almost hear CTSJ saying, "How often the 10 men of one side overcome the other 11...." Not tonite, John. The final embarrassment was the awarding of the penalty right at full time. A. Vidmar was all set to take it when Bosnich ran full length and insisted he have a go. Viddy looked pissed off. Bosnich hit it well, for a man with no circulation after standing still out in the cold for 90 min.
In all, another staggering victory for Dempsey's Oceania. And these guys are the good team! The next game is against the poor team!!