Luke Wilkshire was part of the Socceroos set-up for one iconic moment in Australian sport when John Aloisi slotted home a penalty to send Australia through to their first World Cup in 32 years.
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Some 18-years-later the former Socceroo was in Brisbane with his family watching another 'fantastic Australian football team' the Matildas create their own special iconic moment and history in qualifying for their first ever Women's World Cup semi-final.
The former Wollongong Wolves coach believes the Matildas can now go on to create more special moments, starting with a semifinal victory over England in Sydney on Wednesday night.
Like France were in the quarter-finals, European champions England go into the Stadium Australia showdown as favourites, but Wilkshire is backing the Matildas to pull off another upset.
"I definitely think we can do it," he said.
"France were the favourites too but I think we've built nicely into this tournament.
"We started a little bit slow but you can see the belief that the girls have and there's nothing I think that can stop it.
"And the home support makes a big difference.
"When the French football national coach [Herve] Renard spoke in his press conference after the game he said that it was a 50/50 game and it swung in Australia's way, and that's what it was.....those little one percenters can be the difference in a World Cup, so we can definitely do it."
Wilkshire, who was on the Young Socceroos coaching panel for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan in March this year, said the memories started flooding back when he watched the Matildas hold their nerve to win the dramatic penalty shoot-out 7-6 against France at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
He fondly remembers that November 16 night in 2005 when Aloisi slotted home his penalty in their 4-2 shootout victory over Uruguay, to seal Australia's spot in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which Wilkshire played at with the Socceroos.
"There's always moments going forwards and things to be broken and to change. This is a great moment for women's football in this country and for the nation," Wilkshire said.
"To see where women's football has come and what this tournament and what this group of women are doing at the moment is just phenomenal, both on and off the field.
"To see the support and to see the Aussie public get behind them, it's incredible. You are there and it gives you goosebumps thinking about it, talking about it. This is the beauty of the game that we play.
"It's iconic. I was up in Brisbane with the family watching the game. It was an emotional roller-coaster but this is the beauty of football and what it can do to people, to nations, and that's football and non-football people, so just phenomenal."
Wilkshire also felt Australia's centre-backs Claire Hunt and Alana Kennedy were 'phenomenal' in the Matildas' victory over France.
He also stated former Illawarra Stingrays players Caitlin Foord and Mary Fowler had been immense for the Matildas throughout the World Cup.
Wilkshire added the French actually had to change their tactics to try and contain Arsenal star Foord.
"She's a threat with her pace and her directness. France were obviously a bit worried about her because they shifted a centre-back to try and deal with her and nullify her effectiveness, which speaks volumes of her performances as well," he said.
Wilkshire added that the sky was the limit for phenomenal talent Fowler.
"Look she is obviously in a good environment in England so she is only going to get better," he said.
"it's great to see that this experience of playing in the World Cup will only help her further. We know the qualities that she possesses and she is one as well that I think is building into the tournament.
"I think she is building into the tournament and you can say she is on fire at the moment."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
