Mayhem as Sydney erupts with Socceroos fever

Socceroo fans watching the outdoor telecast in front of Customs House in Sydney, Australia. Adam Pretty / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Even for a non-Australian it was hard not to feel the love amid the mayhem in central Sydney today.

Cars stopped in the middle of George Street and drivers leapt out for group hugs with people they'd never met; bemused police horses had kisses planted squarely on their noses and thousands more soccer fans just danced and chanted "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi", or that clever variation: "Aussie, Ole Ole Ole."

And this was only after the Socceroos, with a 2-2 draw with Croatia, had made the last 16 at the soccer World Cup in their first appearance since 1974.

What will happen if they progress further?

Inner city traffic ground to halt just after 7am local time (9am NZT), cars and buses carrying green and gold flags blasted their horns and fans in the same coloured garb flooded the streets and skipped, arm in arm.

The cordons of police lining street corners were only called into action to reciprocate high fives and jubilant handshakes. Even they cracked a smile.

Thousands had crammed shoulder to shoulder in front of Customs House in Circular Quay for the 5am kickoff on the giant screen, the air thick with stale alcohol and fog which made for an eerie scene in the darkness.

Fans spilled out of 24-hour bars to crane their necks and perch on milk crates, but one or two youngsters missed the action altogether after a night's drinking left them slumped over benches, unable to continue.

Afterwards, fan Joe Rahme summed up the feeling.

"I've been here since 3am and I won't be leaving until 11am tomorrow," he said.

"You'll never see anything like this in cricket or rugby or anything else because this is the world sport."

Only minutes earlier it was like being at a funeral.

The Socceroos needed a draw to progress but with Croatia leading 2-1 with 10 minutes remaining, it was getting desperate.

Croatia's second goal midway through the second half drew cries of "No, no, no!..." from one aghast woman who couldn't watch, head buried in her hands.

"Do something, Viduka!" one suit-clad fan yelled.

"This is heartbreaking," another mumbled to his mate.

"I don't want to be an old man next time they make it."

Australian goalkeeper Zelijko Kalac, just one of the Australians of Croatian parentage, was the crowd's villain after his blunder let in the second goal.

Ironic cheers erupted every time he caught the ball.

Several missed chances heightened the tension until, fittingly, crowd favourite Harry Kewell restored normal order and sent the crowd into raptures as he slammed home the equaliser with 10 minutes left.

"Marry me, Harry," one woman screamed as the crowd went berserk, flares pierced the fog and any impartial bystanders were mobbed with bear hugs.

Two late Croatian red cards were cheered like goals, along with a polite two-word Australian farewell, the second of which was "off".

The fulltime whistle kicked it all off again, a sea of green and gold and, wisely, not much Croatian red and white.

A young bloke clad only in board shorts, thongs and an Australian flag led the celebrations, perched on someone's shoulder as he launched a raucous rendition of Advance Australia Fair.

- NZPA