Socceroos hero curses lost 'moment for glory'

2 years ago 99

Australia's 2010 World Cup hopes were hanging by a thread erstwhile the shot broke to Luke Wilkshire successful the punishment area.

"I inactive deliberation astir it now, and get reminded astir it now," helium told Wide World of Sports.

"That was my 1 infinitesimal for glory, and I f-–ked it."

The Socceroos were caller disconnected a flogging astatine the hands of Germany, and were warring hard against Ghana with 10 men, Harry Kewell having been sent disconnected connected the extremity enactment for a handball.

That incidental had besides resulted successful the punishment footwear that Asamoah Gyan slotted location to marque it 1-1, cancelling retired Brett Holman's opener.

After a superb walk from David Carney, Wilkshire, the reliable close back, someway recovered himself successful acres of abstraction successful the punishment area.

But with astir excessively overmuch clip to prime his spot, his decorativeness was deed consecutive astatine goalkeeper Richard Kingson, and Josh Kennedy's headed rebounded was mopped up arsenic well.

"I was ne'er 1 for the limelight and the headlines, but that would person got maine it," Wilkshire said.

"It could person been a large quality and evidently would person got america done the group, but I judge things hap for a reason."

As a result, the Socceroos went into their last radical crippled against Serbia needing a win, and a large plaything successful extremity quality pursuing their dense decision against Germany successful the opening match, to qualify.

"The character, and the absorption from the players was apical drawer," Wilkshire said of the group's effect successful their 2nd and 3rd games.

"It's casual for the players to crumble aft losing 4-0, and adjacent going down to 10 men successful the 2nd game."

With Serbia besides needing a triumph to advance, the crippled promised to beryllium comparatively unfastened - but it took 68 minutes for the opening goal, Wilkshire picked retired Tim Cahill with a superb cross, and the goalscoring superstar headed home.

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"We went into that crippled inactive believing we'd triumph that game, and successful the different crippled Germany mightiness bash america a favour," Wilkshire said.

Brett Holman doubled the vantage with a screamer 4 minutes' later, but determination was conscionable 1 occupation - they needed a combined five-goal plaything betwixt some games, and Germany were lone up 1-0 arsenic clip ticked away.

"100 per cent," Wilkshire said erstwhile asked if helium was filthy that the Germans hadn't piled connected the goals.

"With the prime of that squad that they had, we thought for definite that they'd triumph by astatine slightest 2 oregon three, which would springiness america a bully chance. But we were pushing hard, and that archetypal crippled fto america down."

Aloisi talks astir iconic 2006 goal

A precocious Serbian extremity would marque it 2-1, leaving Australia to beryllium contented with a consolation victory.

Just similar 2006, they ended the radical signifier with 4 points - but dissimilar that campaign, it wasn't capable to scope the knockout stage.

While helium ever thinks astir it, Wilkshire said he's ne'er gone backmost to look astatine that accidental against Ghana again.

"I've ne'er watched backmost immoderate of the games, I don't similar watching backmost my games, I don't privation to spot it again," helium said.

"I cognize it, I cognize it successful my caput - but that's football."

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