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Australia 2 Croatia 2
23/06/2006: Australia made history and booked a date with Italy in the second round in Kaiserslautern on Monday after a pulsating encounter in Stuttgart.
Guus Hiddink's side earned the draw they required to reach the knockout phase for the first time after twice falling behind in the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion, but the night may be remembered as much for a late howler by English referee Graham Poll that may haunt him forever.
There was hardly time to catch your breath before the Croatians took a stunning second-minute lead when Darijo Srna bent a free-kick over the wall and into the top-left corner after Mark Viduka had fouled Niko Kovac.
Zlatko Kranjcar's side then spent most of the half under pressure and relying on the counter-attack as the Socceroos sought the equaliser that would take them into the second round.
Viduka had a justifiable claim for a sixth-minute penalty for a foul by Josip Simunic turned down by Poll. However, after Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Jason Culina has all gone close for the Socceroos, Poll eventually pointed to the spot in the 38th minute.
Croatian right-back Stjepan Tomas inexplicably handled a right-wing cross in the area and centre-back Craig Moore smashed his spot-kick straight down the middle to level the scores.
Croatia were now galvanised into action and Dada Prso and Viduka could have put either side ahead before the interval and the pace did not relent from either sides in the second-half until the Croats regained the lead and leapfrogged the Socceroos in the Group F standing.
Keeper Zeljko Kalac, controversially selected ahead of Mark Schwarzer, was the culprit as he let a tame Kovac drive slips through his hands and bobbles into the net.
Australia then made three attacking changes and Croatia two defensive substitutions and the pressure on Stipe Pletikosa's goal was relentless. The Hajduk Split shot-stopper had already saved from Kewell and Aloisi in quick succession until in the 79th minute a Mark Bresciano cross was flicked on by Aloisi and Kewell was on hand to supply the finishing touch.
Croatia threw on Ivan Klasnic and pushed Igor Tudor up front as they sought a winner and Moore hacked a Tudor effort off the line with the hapless Kalac stranded, while hearts were in Australian mouths in the final minute as Kalac spilt a Luka Modric corner.
However, the Socceroos held on and their were wild celebration among the green and gold-shirted fans on the final whistle. Nevertheless, despite the stirring efforts of both sides, the final 10 minutes had belonged to referee Poll who dismissed Dario Simic and Brett Emerton for their second cautions, before booking Simunic for the second time and not realising that his name was already in his notebook.
Simunic played on and was involved in Croatia's frantic push for a last-ditch winner before Poll appeared to show him a third yellow card for dissent and this time followed it with a red. The final blow on his whistle probably signalled the end of his own World Cup as well as the Croatians.
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