Australia in party mode as Socceroos reach World Cup knockouts

Arnold’s team matched the side who made the last 16 at the 2006 World Cup in Germany but with a squad lacking the pedigree of the players from 16 years ago who came to be known as Australia’s “golden generation”.

Australia hailed Graham Arnold’s new “golden generation” on Thursday and fans demanded a national holiday as the country celebrated the Socceroos’ unlikely advance to the World Cup knockout phase.