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Australia will have been looking to ensure that they still have a chance to progress out of the group stages by the time of their last group game on 23rd June. With Ticketbis, it is still possible to get tickets to see if they can manage that. The two finalists from the last World Cup lie in wait for the Socceroos. It was imperative to get off to a flyer in their first match against Chile.
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Things could not have started worse.
After just fifteen minutes, Australia found themselves with a mountain to climb. Two goals within a quickfire three minute spell gave Chile a commanding lead.
Enter Tim Cahill. The elder statesman of the side, Cahill set about attempting to rescue his side’s campaign which was in danger of being derailed at the very first junction. A headed goal in the 35th minute eradicated the nerves that were previously on display and Cahill was the focal point for most of their attacks.
As Chile tired, Australian confidence levels soared and Cahill epitomised the passion that exists in the side. In an impressive display, the New York Red Bulls forward was unlucky not to have had a penalty awarded to him as the victim of shirt pulling; he scored a goal that was (correctly) ruled as offside and also found time to receive a yellow card for shoving Eugenio Mena following the Chilean defender kicking out at him.
The Telegraph reported that national coach Ange Postecoglou was full of praise for his forward: "Tim was outstanding," he said. "Particularly in the air, he is still world class. There is no one in the tournament who would like to be one on one with him.”
A proud, competitive and, above all, confident sporting nation in most disciplines, football is still a sport in which the Socceroos are yet to find their voice. The ex-Everton man certainly found his, though, decrying his opponent’s tactics in the match, as reported in the Guardian.
“It came down to respect,” said Cahill, who claimed that the Socceroos showed their opponents too much and their opponents showed football none.
Respectful or not, it was Chile who would end up with the points, scoring a third goal in injury time through Jean Beausejour. Despite losing 3-1, though, there were encouraging signs for Australia who certainly carried a threat to the South Americans.
However, things are not about to get any easier from hereon in for Australia in this difficult group.
The sights, sounds, colour and carnival of Brazil 2014 come together to create an experience that the top players in the world won’t want to end—let alone the supporters. It is still possible to get your tickets here if you want to sample the atmosphere of the FIFA World Cup before it is over all too soon.
Next up, Australia face the Netherlands and Spain, who present two of the most difficult sides in world football. It would surely take the performance of the tournament to overcome even one of these European giants.
There is one thing you can be sure of: bristling with a sense of injustice and disappointment following their first match, the Socceroos won’t be giving in just yet. They respect football too much to do that.