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THE AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL COMPANY: AUSTRALIA TRAVEL NEWS (2006-2007 Archives)
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12 June 2006 - Australia win 3-1 over Japan in opening World Cup Match!
May God save ‘Engerland’ if the Aussie Socceroos get to play them after Australia’s stunning 3 - 1 win over Japan today in the opening round of the 2006 World Cup. The Socceroos broke their 32 year drought in stunning style, scoring three times in the final five minutes to secure an incredible 3-1 victory over Japan in their opening Group F match today. The game was played in stifling 38-degree heat (estimated pitch temperature) at the Fritz-Walter-Stadium in Kaiserslautern, south west Germany. Two goals to Tim Cahill in 5 minutes (who was extremely lucky not to get a red card in the 85th minute in Japan’s goal area) and another cracking goal to John Aloisi sealed Australia's win in its first World Cup appearance since 1974 after it trailed 0-1 for 81 minutes due to a very controversial Japanese goal in the 26th minute.
 The 10 minute ‘goal fest’ started with Cahill slamming his first goal home in the 84th minute during a goal mouth melee following a Lucas Neill long range throw-in. This then moved the game to a 1-1 equal pegging, before Cahill slammed home a cracking second goal 3 minutes later in extra time with a long-range shot which boomed off the left goal post. Aloisi then added a third goal 2 minutes later to give Australia a 3-1 win. It was easily the best game of the tournament so far and Australia must now be considered a real threat to all the teams in the cup. (Including England - what a turn-up that would be!)
Earlier it had looked like the Australians were going to be ‘SOL’ (Look that one up in the Aussie Dictionary!) when Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura goal in the 26th minute was allowed after a disgraceful refereeing mistake - with Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer clearly held back two Japanese players when trying to claim Nakamura's ball, resulting in him being knocked to the ground as the ball dropped into an open goal.
Incredibly, the Egyptian referee Essam Abd El Fatah allowed the goal, leaving the Socceroos and coach totally gobsmacked, with TV replays showing his decision to be a monumental blunder and clearly wrong.
The Japanese goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was in top form however making five outstanding saves before he was totally outclassed by Australia’s strapping 6 foot plus players in the last 10 minutes of the game, with two close-range stops in the same piece of play from skipper Mark Viduka just seven minutes into the game. In two huge surprises, Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink decided to start the game with Harry Kewell and Luke Wilkshire in midfield, and relegated Tim Cahill to the bench.
Hiddink was as cunning as a fox with this move, as this allowed Cahill to come on in the last 10 minutes with 100% ferocity and fresh legs - a big reason why he scored his 2 goals in 5 minutes as he was not worn down by playing a full match in the intense heat. Hiddink had said on Sunday that he didn't think Kewell was ready to play from kick-off after a groin injury had interrupted his preparation, but again it seems this was another ruse from the master football tactician.
In what is going to be one of the most watched games in history after this convincing win, Australia now plays the Cup favourite Brazil in its next group match on June 18. Another huge match then follows on June 22nd with Croatia in Stuttgart.
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