WORLD CUP ROSSONERI: ŽELJKO KALAC

22 June 2006. At the Mercedes Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Australia were looking to make history. Previously, they hadn’t qualified for the World Cup since 1974, the year they first appeared in it. A crucial encounter against Croatia awaited the Socceroos, who knew that a win or draw would be enough to send them through to the World Cup round of 16. Ronaldinho and Kaká’s Brazil had already qualified, and either Australia or Croatia would be joining them.

Guus Hiddink, the coach of the Australians, surprisingly selected Željko Kalac in goal instead of Mark Schwarzer, who had started the first two matches. Due to his Croat origins, it was a special match for Kalac, who had been at AC Milan for a season. It’s no coincidence that his career had begun at Sidney Croatia, now known as Sidney United.

Croatia, coached by the late Zlatko Kranjčar at the time, needed to win and took the lead straight away through Darijo Srna, who produced a free-kick that Kalac could do nothing about. However, Australia didn’t give up and equalised in the 39th minute through a penalty from Moore following Stjepan Tomas’s handball in the box.

The Croats then restored their advantage thanks to Niko Kovač’s 57th-minute effort, but the Socceroos struck back once again as Harry Kewell beat Pletikosa from close range in the 79th minute to send Australia into raptures.

In their second appearance in the competition, and for the first time in their history – it remains the only time they’ve done it – Australia progressed to the round of 16, getting through a tough group that also contained Japan.

In Kaiserslautern, they then met Marcello Lippi’s Azzurri. We can’t help but immediately think back to Fabio Grosso’s marauding run, Neill’s foul and Totti’s 93rd-minute penalty to seal the win for ten-man Italy. The rest, as they say, is history…

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