‘We’re all here for him’: Socceroos rally around Lucas Herrington after last-32 shootout miss
Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine walked up to Lucas Herrington, the teenager whose penalty miss all but eliminated Australia from the World Cup. It was the end of the shootout that just ended the team’s involvement in the tournament in North America, and the veteran wanted to share something, even if he did not know quite how to put it.“There’s not many words you can say to a player in that moment,” Irvine said after the match, the emotion of the defeat still raw. “Just so that he knows we’re there, just to look him in the eye and embrace [him] and know that that’s what this team is about – it’s a team first, and it’s not about any one player in any moment. For him to step up in that moment, this takes incredible steel, [I went up to him] just so he knows that we’re all here for him.”The last-32 clash in Dallas against Egypt had gone all the way through 120 minutes, forcing the first penalty shootout the Socceroos have contested at a World Cup finals. Ultimately it was Egypt who progressed, winning their first World Cup knockout in an achievement that would have been Australia’s had the shootout gone the other way.Coach Tony Popovic said it was a “tough” way to lose but this campaign showed the strength of Australian football. “At this moment right now everything is a little bit tough to take, but I’m sure every Australian is proud of the group and what they did, the growth in the tournament and tonight the effort they put in,” he said. “I’m sure their families and friends and every Australian back home who has watched will be very proud tonight.”Irvine congratulated Egypt after the match, but said it was up to the Australian players to use the pain of this disappointment to improve. “You’ve got to allow yourself to feel it. It’s the hardest part,” he said. “To feel it all, the hurt, the disappointment, the heartbreak, all the effort and and hope that goes into today because that’s what’ll drive you forward not wanting to feel the same way again.”Tears welling in his eyes in the post-match press conference, Irvine at 33 is unlikely to appear at another World Cup. “We’re all obviously very devastated, it’s the toughest way to lose a game, the boys put in so much hard work, it’s been unbelievable camp,” he said. “We gave ourselves the best possible opportunity to do something an Australian [men’s] team’s not done before, but ultimately, we’ve fallen short at a penalty shootout.”Aziz Behich, who at 35 is one of the few players more experienced than Irvine, was another whose eyes were red at full-time. The defender said it was too soon to decide whether this World Cup campaign was a success or failure. “It just hurts. As a competitor, as a footballer, I’ll always be selfish and say ‘I want more’, so I look at it in that aspect,” he said. “But I think once all the dust settles, I think there’s a lot to be proud of. There’s always going to be that ‘what if’ because we’re just so close yet again.”The Socceroos had their chances in an even match, and managed to equalise for the first time in the tournament. When the match went to penalties, Irvine said the Australians felt confident, even if Harry Souttar and Herrington both missed the target and goalkeeper Maty Ryan – brought on in the dying stages with the shootout in mind – was left helpless by Egypt’s composure from the spot.Irvine said the preparations for the shootout went as planned, and every player expected to take a penalty put up their hand. “We did practice shootouts in training and the staff gave us our numbers. I wasn’t aware maybe if other players were having conversations about that, but it was all very calm,” he said.Behich said the knockouts must now be the benchmark for the Socceroos at future World Cups. “Now we’ve set the bar, two World Cups in a row we’ve reached the knockout stages,” he said. “That’s got to be the standard from now on, getting out of the group and hopefully, next World Cup, we’ll be knocking on the door.”
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