Magical goal, magical game
PUBLISHED ONJune 20, 2014 6:00 PMByNeil Humphreys
GROUP B
Australia 2 (Tim Cahill 21, Mile Jedinak 54-pen)
Holland 3 (Arjen Robben 20, Robin van Persie 58, Memphis Depay 68)
The so-called World Cup lull is over. Tim Cahill scored the goal of the tournament in the game of the tournament.
The underdogs from Down Under were inspired.
The over-achieving Dutch were mostly insipid. They combined to produce the most thrilling, intoxicating, spellbinding game Brazil has witnessed to date.
The final 3-2 scoreline in Holland's favour seems almost a vulgar afterthought.
Proceedings at Porto Alegre transcended the mere mundane of scores and points to reach sporting nirvana.
If Brazil stopped to watch the hosts, the world stopped to watch this one.
The Aussies were men possessed, defying the statistics and revelling in their Cinderella status. The Dutch didn't know what hit them.
They started the game in a fitful daze, seemingly hung over after their hedonistic night out against the Spaniards.
Arjen Robben woke them up in the 20th minute.
Stealing possession from a dithering Alex Wilkinson on the halfway line, the Dutch winger sprinted away like a greyhound out of a trap.
The Socceroos had more chance of chasing air.
Robben galloped into the penalty box and dispatched his low shot across goalkeeper Matthew Ryan.
His run and finish, his third in two games, promised to be a memorable World Cup goal.
It was forgotten within a minute.
Cahill stepped forward to carve his name within football annals and join every World Cup highlights package for all time.His equaliser was not born from Mathew Leckie's cross.
His stupendous strike was made on every school pitch, every void deck and every street.
These goals come to us while we sleep. Cahill's will come to him for the rest of his days.
He made a Playstation goal become a reality.
Curling Cross
Leckie sent in an inviting, curling cross from the right and the ageless Socceroo slipped between the centre-backs; always the stealthiest of assassins.
The 34-year-old allowed the ball to drop over his shoulder, his timing perfect; his vision audacious. And then he connected, his left-foot volley swooshing through the air.
They never usually come off. They end in the stands. They make a fool of the finest players. Cahill made such cynicism appear foolish.
The ball smashed against the underside of the crossbar and dropped behind Jasper Cillessen.
Porto Alegre erupted. The wide bowlshaped Estadio Beira-Rio swayed towards the singing, dancing Socceroos.
Pandemonium reigned.
The Dutch are no strangers to such quality, explosive strikes. Marco van Basten's volley against Russia in the Euro 1988 Finals was a close relation; a first cousin of quality.
But this was a brave new world for the Socceroos.
They've never scored a goal like this on the greatest stage.
Cahill has never scored a goal like it, over his shoulder and on his so-called weaker foot. Brazil hasn't seen a better goal yet.
In a cruel twist of fate, Cahill's needless foul against Bruno Martins Indi moments later led to a yellow card, his second, ruling him out of the final Group game against Spain.
Innocuous Cross
But the Socceroos had another chapter to write in their Cinderella story.
Substitute Oliver Bozanic sent in an innocuous cross that struck Daryl Janmmat's arm.
The penalty decision was harsh, but Mile Jedinak showed no mercy from the spot.
Inflatable kangeroos were tossed around the stadium, but the Socceroos' joy was short-lived.
Robin van Persie levelled with a neat turn and finish in the 58th minute, but the cruelest blow came from substitute Memphis Depay 10 minutes later.
His speculative 20m drive had to be saved. It squirmed around Matthew Ryan's hand.
The Socceroos - and the game itself - didn't deserve to be defeated by such a basic keeping howler.
Holland prevailed without ever excelling. They've all but won a place in the knockout stages, but rarely convinced.
Australia won hearts everywhere. And Cahill has probably won the goal of the tournament.
This article was first published on June 19, 2014.
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