A-u-s-t-r-a-l-i-a-!

Great to see Australia hit World Cup status for 2006.

As a born and bred Australian now living in New York, it was a pleasure to see the Socceroos break the drought.

WooHoo!!! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi...!

I never realised you were from Oz originally Cathy...whereabouts??

S.

What a sweet victory it was. The lead up was one of dread, as the newspapers kept going on about Australia's past efforts at coming so close, yet so far.

Over the last 12 years we've had close losses against team like Argentina, Iran, and Uruguay.

But what made this one so much more special was that Uruguay beat us the last time we had the qualifier. And the crude tactics employed by South American teams featured very prominantly in the last games that the two countries met.

It happened again with this play-off. After the Uraguyans won the first leg 1-0 in Montevideo, a stadium that Argentina and Brazil, and many other teams, have not scored at for many years.

The day before the 2nd leg in Sydney, their captain, who was brought out of retirement last year, because he is a set pieces specialist, came out and said something like "it is Uruguay's divine right to play in the World Cup." Pretty much saying that Australia isn't worthy of playing with the best teams in the world.

It was great to see us beat a very good team when it counts, and not having an honourable loss, we've got plenty of those already.

It was very important for Australia to win into the World Cup to lift the profile of soccer/football in the country. Although it is the most participated sport at grassroots level, it doesn't enjoy much media coverage. Running fourth behind Aussie Rules football, rugby league and rugby union.

Go Australia!

BTW can't we get rid of Socceroos? Why can't we just be called after our country like everyone else?

Lets hope for a England VS Australia tie next summer. That should be fun!