Australia 3 Japan 1

I've just heard beeping car horns and shouting in the street outside. That can only mean one thing (apart from road rage). Australia must've have won something.....

Yes. They have. And what a victory it was.

H and I watched the game in a local pub. It was the second pub we tried as the first one had no atmosphere in it at all. The second one though was rammers, and probably explained why the first one was so quiet. There was a big screens and a beer garden and everything. It was great, and just what we were after.

So the game began and the Aussies were typically enthusiastic (it's a shame the same couldn't be said for last nights Rugby). They applauded, whistled and cheered the kick off. Bear in mind that they haven't been in the World Cup since 1974 so it's to be expected. They cheered when it was an Aussie throw in. They cheered when it was an Aussie free-kick. It soon became apparent that a lot of them didn't actually know what was happening. (I'd asked the bouncer of the first pub if they were going to show the football. "You mean soccer?" he replied. Enough said!). There was also quite a strong Japanese contingent in the crowd so that added to the atmosphere.

Anyway, as you know, Japan scored first after 26 minutes. Que lots of Japanese cheering. I thought Schwarzer was obstructed. So did Gus (wasn't his impression fantastic?). The referee didn't. The goal stood. Talking of the ref, he really pissed me off. There'd been a lot made in the press in the lead up to the game that Zico was trying to influence the ref by saying the Aussies were to physical (he was referring to the Holland warm-up game in which three of the Dutch team were injured). I was beginning to believe that this tactic had worked. Everytime there was an innocuous challenge a blue shirt was seen writhing around in agony. If there's one thing in football that pisses me off, then that is it.

As the game went on I began to think that if Australia lost, then they could still go through IF they got a result against Brazil (and I believe that they can - ok, maybe not a win, but most definitely a draw - it should be an entertaining game to watch, two attacking sides slogging it out - a bit like watching Kevin "I'd love it if we beat them, I'd love it" Keegan's Newcastle).

With a few minutes of the game remaining I was really hoping for a positive outcome. And then the Soceroos got their reward. I don't know if it had anything to do with Bristol City's Luke Wilkshire being substituted, but Australia scored three goals in the last six minutes. As you can imagine, the pub went mental. I actually surprised myself at how enthusiastic I was. Ok, it wasn't in the same mould as "Frank Lampard scoring in extra-time of the Euro 2004 semi final, massive pub pile on (me at the bottom of it - thanks Chewie, or was that you Andy, who tripped me up?), pint of beer vaporising (to this day I still don't know where it went), Mike R being bear-hugged and thrown around the room" (and it never will be) but it was pretty exciting stuff.

There's bound to be some very hungover Aussies at work tomorrow.