The Mourning After 

I can't believe this still hurts 17 years on. I was there that night and remained in my seat half an hour after the game in tears.

As an Iranian watching this, I actually got very emotional. I’m glad both Australia and Iran together qualified later in the recent world cups. Love you Australia from Iran 💛💚

I was a 7 yo kid but clearly remember how huge this victory was for us as Iranians. I can imagine how tragic it could have been for Australians. Great match! Full of stress! Lots of ups and downs!

I went to Iran recently and when I was out walking in Tehran one day, some workmen asked where I was from. Once they heard I was Australian, they started talking about this game, pretending to cry like our players did after the game, they knew all the Aussie players names. It was a huge moment for Iran. Many Iranians still remember it vividly

Two weeks from today, it will be the 20th anniversary of that pulsating match at the MCG between Australia and Iran and 20 years later, both of them made the 2018 FIFA World Cup together.

I was living in the US and listening to the game on a short wave radio.....it was maybe 3 or 4 AM. After Australia scored the second goal, I was so upset that I said ef it and went to bed, believing that there was no way Iran would qualify. Next morning checked the news and saw Iran had come back and had qualified!!!!! For me, this was and still is the most memorable game that Iran has ever played....other world cup qualifications and even the victory over US in 98 doesn't come close to it.

People here aren’t giving the Iran side enough credit. They like Socceroos had a golden generation eg Ali Daei and Azizi and were the best side in Asia in 1997.. Year before at asian cup in UAE they came third but only coz they lost in Russian roulette of penalty shoot out to Saudi Arabia in semi finals after 0-0 after extra time.. They had a crack house side. Things happen in football games eg match can get delayed for multiple reasons eg power failure or bad weather or injury to player. The Socceroos just didn’t adapt after that 15 minute rest due to Peter pest. Basketball you have time outs and quarter time and breaks in play, basketball players don’t whinge and say we lost due to other team taking a time out. Venebles made some bad selections and tactical blunders but players have to take some blame they blew a 2-0 lead at home. Give full credit to the world class Iranian goal keeper and defence, Aurelio Vidmar was given heaps of chances...

I liked the music at the end! LOL

I hope Australia plays Iran at the Asian Cup. I still can't believe we haven't played against them since that night. I was 9 when I watched that game. I cried. I've never cried over a football game since.

Man I remember this so well. Me and my family were on holidays and the place we stayed didn't have SBS so I begged my Dad to drive me to Nans house which was an hour away so I could watch the game. Then during the game I felt so excited that we were going to the world cup, then bam, 2 goals. I didn't speak for the rest of the night, devastated. But when i was jumping around the room screaming in delight in 2005, I remembered 97 and it made 2005 way way sweeter.

I was in school 4th grade at that time and when I heard it was 2-0 for Australia. We all thought it was over, close to the end of match we heard 2-2 which totally shocked us. Couldn't believe at first till I watched the replay that night.

I'm from Iran . my nation at the time was very enthusiastic to be in the world cup . from the bottom of the heart . something strange helped us to win .

These were the toughest days in Australian football. The people who love to complain in 2022 don't know it.

Great documentary. 25 years on, god still haunts me. Credit & respect to Iran for fighting back too. Had them on the ropes, all but gone but found a way to win.

Unbelievable. I remember this game clearly as l was there. Still can drop a tear after thinking about this game.

Never forget Johnny!

Such a good insight into that night, I was there as a 6yo bawled my eyes out on the way home from the G

I feel sorry for the players, but I'm glad that the Australian people got a lesson to not booing when playing another country's national anthem. For those who do not know, I would say that at that time suffered, the Iranian team of internal strife. The Iranian team that Australians failed to outwit did not play his best because of the enormous problems they had in the team.

Hello, I'm an Iranian boy, I'm 33 right now. I was 11 years old when I saw that match , after these many years I think say a few trues about that match , Australia was many many better than Iran and Australia deserves to go France , but we don't understand this in that time after many years a saw this match and I felt sad moment for Australians people , I'm so sorry for them.

Great video

And 16 years after their AFC-OFC play-off encounter, both Australia and Iran automatically qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup together.

Where can I watch or buy this documentary?

As an American and after watching that now, a couple of thoughts after watching this video: 1) In 1993, it seemed to me that the Aussies were in awe of Argentina and just glad to be in that playoff after winning a thriller v Canada. One they weren’t feeding Maradona in a playoff when you consider the fact that Argentina had been to two straight World Cup finals (both v West Germany in 86, Maradona’s (RIP) masterpiece in Mexico and again in 1990 in Italy, this time as runner up). Argentina was embarrassed 5-0 by Colombia which forced them into the playoff and prompted Maradona’s return into that playoff and I think the Aussies were in awe of Maradona in that playoff and the Argentines would end up coming here to America for that World Cup. 2) Four years later, the Aussies were expected to go to France and for 72 minutes, up 2-0 (3-1 on Aggregates) it seemed that way until Hoare killed all the mo with the garbage he pulled. Within a 5 minute stretch, it fell apart and after Iran tied it at 2, those road goals were killers and the Iranians would end up going to France. In this country, I’ve seen devastating losses but that really had to kill the Aussies knowing they had the World Cup bid in their grasp and let it slip through their feet. 3) That loss would end up being the fuel for what would happen eight years later for the Aussies to finally bust the door down and get to the World Cup.

Can we get the sound back up on this???

as an Iranian it was best day of my life and millions of others felt so partying all night in the streets! i live in holland i remember it was a very cold saturday morning int he winter and me and alot of friends watched it on Eurosport! and what a glorious fashion it was when i see u guys still mourning that! hahahahahahahahaha

Can the sound be fixed on the video?

The Australian team had 100.000 fans cheering and supporting them and that gave Australian the idea of attacking all the time , Iranian team had a lot of good players such as best player of Asia and Australian team were proud on themselves and make them believe to be better team , after 24 years they still thinking they were better team but it is not like that , Iran played defensive and every single Iranian player could be a game changer so did Azizi and Daee and Bagheri in 4 minutes,

And now they’ll both qualify! But honestly I find kind of hard that they haven’t faced each other in 25 years

In Iran we say Koon Suzy (i.e. pain in the ass). Australians made all sort of excuses for losing to Iran. Did the 6 minutes break just 4 minutes after the 15 minutes half-time break really have any impact on the performance of either team? NO! It could have been important at 80 minutes into the match! It was a big defeat for the British Empire and it's Jewish colonies

I remember this match in 97.the australian team was a better team but,the iranian team those days was a naturally-skillful team.i watched them play for sometime and when they played their game,they were very good.the australian dominated the match bc,the iranians allowed them to do so.

Didn't we all. I was there too. It was like a morgue afterwards. We should have won 10-0.

Let it be a lesson . Its not over until its over Specially when you are playing against azizi , daei, and bagheri Who were the best of asia.

Every team should be afraid when facing Iranian teams even if they are weaker on paper. Iranian people are able to do something you can not logically understand

This game should have been all over at half time (2nd leg). Australia would have won at least 5-0 if not for poor finishing. Iran was thoroughly outplayed. They had 2 chances and scored 2 goals. And their first goal was a clear offside. The turning point really was that serial pest cutting the net after the Aussie's second goal which delayed the game by 10-15 minutes giving Iran a chance to regroup. After that everything went against the Aussies. Guess it wasn't meant to be.

It was a glorious day! Iran was the better team and the right team to go the World Cup! :D

Honestly if I be right after 23 years I say Its not fair to eliminate australia, but that was very special and it's too needly for iranian people, we need a great happiness moment in our bad quality life, respect to australian team , they were deserve to play in france world cup 1998

Full Support. Goal net ripped. Neg. Cash ONO. Soccer Australia and security provided Peter Hoare. Aussie footy.

😔

Will never forget pain of this loss, 23 years later and watching this still hurts. It wasn't a close match, we should've won 10-0.... i think we finally got over the pain of this loss on a beautiful November night in Sydney in 2005...😍😍

Australians shouldn't have brought their own water and food to Iran. It was the controlling factor overall!

To +asir asiri, the Roos booed Uruguay in 2005, and this time it worked.

Shame Vidmar didn’t bury those chances early. We should have won 3-1

Australians were not cognizant of the power of the team they were playing against. Iran's players were clearly exhausted but they were on the pitch to make a comeback.

It hurts the Australins because of their arrogance and thinking they've already qualified for the WC whereas the Iranias had another agenda! Just 2-0 up for 70 minutes doesn't mean any thing in the football world at all, bearing in mind that the Iranians are one of the best nations in come backs in sports.

The World Name for The World Game is FOOTBALL ... FACT!.

Don’t forget Iran should have lost 3-1 in the first leg in Tehran , Bozza had a great game in 1st leg when Iran had all the chances..

They deserved to lose because they should respect another nation. They brought water and food to Iran .Congratulations to Iran ..

We Iranians were only allowed to celebrate two nights during 40 years And girl and boy together, That night was the first night, You don't know, fascist rule Creates gender segregation, Personally, I was beaten, humiliated, because my girlfriend's hand was in my hand, I was beaten with a shock baton, But that night the government ignored all their freedoms

26 minutes of excuses...smh!!!

i was 12 years old crying my eyes out at a party in bossley park nsw on this night..some big older bloke in his 20s said ahhh i know how ya feel thats how i feel when the chicago bulls lose ..if i wasnt so tiny i would of attacked him