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A rogue flare has ignited over a sea of green and gold at Federation Square ahead of Australia’s high-stakes World Cup clash with Paraguay.
Socceroos fans braved a chilly morning to queue before sunrise, forcing authorities to open the gates early and the live site quickly reached capacity.
Crowd controllers resorted to megaphones to send hundreds more Socceroos supporters down the Yarra to watch the game on the big screen at AAMI Park.
Federation Square resembled an outdoor nightclub early as fans, many in their late teens and early 20s, revved themselves up in the countdown to the 12pm kick-off.
A DJ had fans jumping to a mix of Australian favourites and classic hits, including Men at Work’s anthemic Down Under, Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond and Gala’s Freed From Desire.
Less than an hour before kick-off, a flare was set off over Federation Square as the crowd started getting impatient ahead of the big game.
Many teenagers among the group kept breaking into football chants, jumping and occasionally throwing plastic bottles.
“I feel like I’m at a school excursion,” soccer fan Philip Klenkowski, 32, said.
The FIFO worker luckily didn’t have to take the day off work. He came into the city alone but said he’d made many mates.
“Everyone’s super friendly,” he said.
Ringwood local Sam Pragnell, 21, and Ferntree Gully resident James Ventura, 22, were excited to be among thousands who made it inside Federation Square.
“Pretty loud and electric, a little rough,” Pragnell said.
Sharon Banks, 41, and Jesele Baxter, 20, spent the lead up to the game arm in arm despite meeting hours earlier in the crowd.
”I’ve been praying for this to happen and I know we’re going to make it to the round of 32 and then the round of 16,” Banks said.
Jeremy Lawler, 18, said his parents supported him skipping the last day of term to watch the Socceroos with mates.
“It’s so loud but everyone’s just cheering on each other,” he said.
The mood has been jubilant all morning, with groups frequently breaking out into chants.
“It’s an absolutely crazy atmosphere,” Rocco Colaci said.
He and his mate Sinan Ucar were relieved to make it into Federation Square after lining up from 7am.
Charlie Nagy came into the CBD last week for the Socceroos’ 0-2 loss to the US. He left his Watsonia home at 7.30am with two friends, hoping to secure a spot again for Friday’s clash but the gates had been closed.
They were still hoping to bag a spot inside. “I’ll be behind the barrier, don’t worry,” he said.“We’ll make the party.”
Shortly before kick-off, some younger fans were still hoping to sneak in, attempting to jump barriers and pry open gates.
But police and security were keeping a close eye on the crowd.
“I’m gonna come down there in five minutes, so go over there,” one police officer wearing a riot helmet told fans. “The security guard doesn’t want you here, so move on.”
Elsewhere in Melbourne’s CBD, workers donned Socceroos scarves and shirts on their way to the office.
A much smaller group of Japanese supporters gathered in the neighbouring Transport bar to watch their team draw 1-1 against Sweden and book a berth in the knockout stage as the second-placed nation from group F.
With Andrew Wu
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