Socceroos turn boos to cheers

Aussie fans booed Pim Verbeek before the kick-off, but come the final whistle there was nothing but cheers and adulation.

If Australians can't win, they don't mind going down fighting.

The Socceroos did neither in Rustenburg in the 1-1 World Cup draw against Ghana.

But the team created such an atmosphere on and off the pitch it felt like it had won.

As the team sheets were read out by the ground announcer, Harry Kewell received the loudest cheer of all.

It was boos galore, however, for the beleaguered coach who had left him out of the opening game against Germany.

All of that was forgotten at the end.

If one player was going to be sent off, harshly so in many eyes, wouldn't you know it would be Kewell?

But the remaining 10 men in green and gold more than held their own for 65 minutes, and as usual they found inspiration from the thousands who had travelled from Australia to watch them.

"As an Australian, how can you be any prouder?" captain Lucas Neill asked later.

"The (national) anthem was unbelievable, we were choking.

"All we could see was a sea of yellow, all Australian yellow."

Aussie fans wore all manner of headgear in green and gold - dreadlocks, mohicans, afros, corked hats, caps and beanies against the encroaching night air of the African high veld.

Their banners proclaimed: "Green and gold army always with you", "Socceroos proudly Australian" and one from yesteryear: "Aroks army".

The Socceroos could occasionally hear Aussie fans, too, even over the din of vuvuzelas, for which there is no known cure, even if enterprising locals were selling ear plugs at 10 rand a pair.

The Socceroos might be hanging by a thread in this World Cup.

But it seemed fitting its campaign did not come to an end in a cold, dark place in the middle of nowhere.

That's what Rustenburg was come nightfall in the rolling hills and bushy plains three hours west of Johannesburg.

Ghana might have fielded two princes in the Royal Bafokeng Stadium - Kevin-Prince Boateng and Prince Tagoe.

But this was more an occasion for Australian football royalty.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/socceroos/news/1009609/Socceroos-turn-boos-to-cheers