We made it!

[Lil'_Miss_Princess_Aimz]

We are going TO Germany, they are hosting the competition. Honestly we have no idea who we will be playing as yet, the teams are essentially drawn out of a hat (it's a bit more complicated, there are seedings for certain teams...).

What JSIW meant I guess is that Brazil having won the last Cup are the No 1 team in the world... mind you we can beat them! We did about 7 years back...

ahh.. ok then..

thanx for that!!

 

[elm0]

I have doubts about Brazil making the finals. I think that, because they're number one, everyone else is going to play harder against them, wanting to beat them. So they're going to have a very tough time. I hope they do make the finals, besides Australia they are my favourite team.

 

[itsgood]

I was at Telstra stadium on Wednesday night!! I drove to the station with my bag packed. On the train there I was nervous not knowing whether I would get a ticket or not.

I got to Olympic Park station fairly early and there were not many people there yet compared to later on. Immediately scalpers approached me offering me a $50 ticket for $200. They loved to chat. The two main ones had English accents and they all one by one aked me how much I was willing to pay. The English ones laughed and said "perhaps later" and the Indian guy swore at me and shook his head.

I went into the giant pub area and the main English scalper followed me offering me a restricted view ticket which I declined, to his disbelief. In the big pub area were hundreds of Aussie supporters drinking and chanting meaningless or crude chants in party mode. I had a look in the overflow park and there were hardly any seats and the "big" screens were not all that big anyway. I bumped into my old pastor who loves to go to big sporting events. He actually had someone to go with.

I went back to the scalping area and found it full of action. Some Uruguayan supporters got surrounded and harassed which was amusing. I eventually bought a ticket from a guy who explained to me "that guy's a scalper!" as to why he was selling it to me. So I got a $95 ticket for $78. He also sold another one to a German tourist who I would be sitting next to. We had a chat, then I went into the game.

There was a pre-match interview with John Travolta on the big screen (who thought "football" referred to gridiron when asked a question). Then the teams came out and the crowd booed the Uruguayan anthem, which I participated in. Well, not for if they hadn't have been so arrogant before the match, as a guy said on the train "they buried themselves".

Then the game kicked off and the Uruguayans started diving everywhere. A golden chance fell to Recoba which he wasted, much to my glee although the rest of the crowd were still shocked. Must be the Asperger's. Heck, I went to the game by myself, what do you expect.

Then the supersub Harry Kewell came on who tormented the opposition for the rest of the night. And sure enough he was involved in the goal when it came, and the crowd roared when the net shook. The players came from everywhere into the huddle to celebrate.

For the rest of the game the Uruguayans had a couple of good chances, the best of which was a free header from a corner right in front of us. Then extra time came and the crowd were quieter, a bit more tired and more nervous. There weren't many chances in extra time but Australia still played better.

So then the shootout came, and the idiot announcer saying something about the goalkeeper becoming the hero, even before the shootout was over. Kewell was first and scored his kick. Then Schwarzer made a save and the crowd went bezerk. Viduka missed, then Schwarzer made an even better save. Then a woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder and wanted me to pick up her mobile phone which she dropped, which I did. I turned around in time to see Aloisi bury his penalty and the crowd went wild and I hugged the German guy who was a bit disturbed by that. Then the guy in front of me hugged me. Not that I care about soccer or anything.

The players were celebrating like mad, and fireworks went off, which was a bit arrogant I spose but we deserved it. Then the stupid announcer told everyone who came by public transport to leave, which of course everybody ignored. They set a stage up in the field and the players wore the sponsor's t-shirts, also a bit arrogant. Then that psycho SBS commentator got up and spoke like he was about to murder someone. He presented the players to a rousing reception.

I decided it was time to leave so I got on the train. A drunk Australian (in some way) supporter next to me got stuck into some Uruguayan supporters, of whom one beefcake threatened him, and he stopped. This was also amusing.

 

[Woody]

WOOT for the Socceroos!! I love soccer!!

 

[Bevlina]

I just popped in to see what we'd made.

 

[John Spong is wrong]

brazil? i thought they were playin germany??

Brazil are the world champions! Bring 'em on I say - we can beat anyone now!

 

[John Spong is wrong]

I was at Telstra stadium on Wednesday night!! I drove to the station with my bag packed. On the train there I was nervous not knowing whether I would get a ticket or not.

I got to Olympic Park station fairly early and there were not many people there yet compared to later on. Immediately scalpers approached me offering me a $50 ticket for $200. They loved to chat. The two main ones had English accents and they all one by one aked me how much I was willing to pay. The English ones laughed and said "perhaps later" and the Indian guy swore at me and shook his head.

I went into the giant pub area and the main English scalper followed me offering me a restricted view ticket which I declined, to his disbelief. In the big pub area were hundreds of Aussie supporters drinking and chanting meaningless or crude chants in party mode. I had a look in the overflow park and there were hardly any seats and the "big" screens were not all that big anyway. I bumped into my old pastor who loves to go to big sporting events. He actually had someone to go with.

I went back to the scalping area and found it full of action. Some Uruguayan supporters got surrounded and harassed which was amusing. I eventually bought a ticket from a guy who explained to me "that guy's a scalper!" as to why he was selling it to me. So I got a $95 ticket for $78. He also sold another one to a German tourist who I would be sitting next to. We had a chat, then I went into the game.

There was a pre-match interview with John Travolta on the big screen (who thought "football" referred to gridiron when asked a question). Then the teams came out and the crowd booed the Uruguayan anthem, which I participated in. Well, not for if they hadn't have been so arrogant before the match, as a guy said on the train "they buried themselves".

Then the game kicked off and the Uruguayans started diving everywhere. A golden chance fell to Recoba which he wasted, much to my glee although the rest of the crowd were still shocked. Must be the Asperger's. Heck, I went to the game by myself, what do you expect.

Then the supersub Harry Kewell came on who tormented the opposition for the rest of the night. And sure enough he was involved in the goal when it came, and the crowd roared when the net shook. The players came from everywhere into the huddle to celebrate.

For the rest of the game the Uruguayans had a couple of good chances, the best of which was a free header from a corner right in front of us. Then extra time came and the crowd were quieter, a bit more tired and more nervous. There weren't many chances in extra time but Australia still played better.

So then the shootout came, and the idiot announcer saying something about the goalkeeper becoming the hero, even before the shootout was over. Kewell was first and scored his kick. Then Schwarzer made a save and the crowd went bezerk. Viduka missed, then Schwarzer made an even better save. Then a woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder and wanted me to pick up her mobile phone which she dropped, which I did. I turned around in time to see Aloisi bury his penalty and the crowd went wild and I hugged the German guy who was a bit disturbed by that. Then the guy in front of me hugged me. Not that I care about soccer or anything.

The players were celebrating like mad, and fireworks went off, which was a bit arrogant I spose but we deserved it. Then the stupid announcer told everyone who came by public transport to leave, which of course everybody ignored. They set a stage up in the field and the players wore the sponsor's t-shirts, also a bit arrogant. Then that psycho SBS commentator got up and spoke like he was about to murder someone. He presented the players to a rousing reception.

I decided it was time to leave so I got on the train. A drunk Australian (in some way) supporter next to me got stuck into some Uruguayan supporters, of whom one beefcake threatened him, and he stopped. This was also amusing.

Great report - it must have been the experience of a lifetime, even better than the Olympics!

 

[elm0]

Then the teams came out and the crowd booed the Uruguayan anthem.

That actually made me very angry hearing that on the TV. It's downright rude and unsportpersonlike. I don't care how arrogant any person or team is, you DO NOT boo a country's national anthem. I'm sorry, but I thought Australians had a bit more common decency than that.

 

[itsgood]

It was awesome, I went to the Olympics too, a few sports, basketball, baseball, hockey...

 

[G4m]

That actually made me very angry hearing that on the TV. It's downright rude and unsportpersonlike. I don't care how arrogant any person or team is, you DO NOT boo a country's national anthem. I'm sorry, but I thought Australians had a bit more common decency than that.

There should be more respect. However, Uruguay's crowd did the same to ours...

 

[Lil'_Miss_Princess_Aimz]

I was at Telstra stadium on Wednesday night!! I drove to the station with my bag packed. On the train there I was nervous not knowing whether I would get a ticket or not.

I got to Olympic Park station fairly early and there were not many people there yet compared to later on. Immediately scalpers approached me offering me a $50 ticket for $200. They loved to chat. The two main ones had English accents and they all one by one aked me how much I was willing to pay. The English ones laughed and said "perhaps later" and the Indian guy swore at me and shook his head.

I went into the giant pub area and the main English scalper followed me offering me a restricted view ticket which I declined, to his disbelief. In the big pub area were hundreds of Aussie supporters drinking and chanting meaningless or crude chants in party mode. I had a look in the overflow park and there were hardly any seats and the "big" screens were not all that big anyway. I bumped into my old pastor who loves to go to big sporting events. He actually had someone to go with.

I went back to the scalping area and found it full of action. Some Uruguayan supporters got surrounded and harassed which was amusing. I eventually bought a ticket from a guy who explained to me "that guy's a scalper!" as to why he was selling it to me. So I got a $95 ticket for $78. He also sold another one to a German tourist who I would be sitting next to. We had a chat, then I went into the game.

There was a pre-match interview with John Travolta on the big screen (who thought "football" referred to gridiron when asked a question). Then the teams came out and the crowd booed the Uruguayan anthem, which I participated in. Well, not for if they hadn't have been so arrogant before the match, as a guy said on the train "they buried themselves".

Then the game kicked off and the Uruguayans started diving everywhere. A golden chance fell to Recoba which he wasted, much to my glee although the rest of the crowd were still shocked. Must be the Asperger's. Heck, I went to the game by myself, what do you expect.

Then the supersub Harry Kewell came on who tormented the opposition for the rest of the night. And sure enough he was involved in the goal when it came, and the crowd roared when the net shook. The players came from everywhere into the huddle to celebrate.

For the rest of the game the Uruguayans had a couple of good chances, the best of which was a free header from a corner right in front of us. Then extra time came and the crowd were quieter, a bit more tired and more nervous. There weren't many chances in extra time but Australia still played better.

So then the shootout came, and the idiot announcer saying something about the goalkeeper becoming the hero, even before the shootout was over. Kewell was first and scored his kick. Then Schwarzer made a save and the crowd went bezerk. Viduka missed, then Schwarzer made an even better save. Then a woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder and wanted me to pick up her mobile phone which she dropped, which I did. I turned around in time to see Aloisi bury his penalty and the crowd went wild and I hugged the German guy who was a bit disturbed by that. Then the guy in front of me hugged me. Not that I care about soccer or anything.

The players were celebrating like mad, and fireworks went off, which was a bit arrogant I spose but we deserved it. Then the stupid announcer told everyone who came by public transport to leave, which of course everybody ignored. They set a stage up in the field and the players wore the sponsor's t-shirts, also a bit arrogant. Then that psycho SBS commentator got up and spoke like he was about to murder someone. He presented the players to a rousing reception.

I decided it was time to leave so I got on the train. A drunk Australian (in some way) supporter next to me got stuck into some Uruguayan supporters, of whom one beefcake threatened him, and he stopped. This was also amusing.

hey man

ur lucky! hope u had a gr8 time there!!

 

[elm0]

There should be more respect. However, Uruguay's crowd did the same to ours...

So "they did it too" makes it alright?

 

[G4m]

So "they did it too" makes it alright?

As I said, "there should be more respect."

 

[LivingWorship]

Yes on both sides, there should be respect. Two wrongs don't make a right... but respect runs both ways... so both sides could improve a lot.

 

[Bevlina]

Can I ask what happened? Anyone got a link?

 

[xygtfalcon]

For some reason soccer just seems that the fans are ALWAYS violent.
Crowds aare always fighting and burning stuff.

 

[LivingWorship]

Can I ask what happened? Anyone got a link?

Of course you can... I don't know how good this will be but I'll summarise...

Aus vs Uruguay - we won the tie and are going to the Finals in Germany next year. As for the pre-match stuff we're talking about, as far as I know, a few unruly fans had made some noise outside the Uruguayan team's hotel, when they were trying to sleep... and also at the game there were some stupid fans booing when their national anthem came on... and apparently the reserve had happened in Uruguay four years ago... that's my knowledge of the situation...

 

[J23]

For some reason soccer just seems that the fans are ALWAYS violent.
Crowds aare always fighting and burning stuff.

Why soccer fans?
Explanation, anyone?