By Kirsty Ross
HUNDREDS of heartbroken Werribee soccer fans left the room “pretty quickly” at the end of the nail-biting World Cup match between Australia and Italy.
Almost unanimous in loyalty, 95 per cent of the 140 who turned up at the Italian Sports Club of Werribee (ISCW) last Monday night were cheering green and gold, eyes fixed on the rented big screen.
Australian born David Fustuca, 20, who looks after marketing and promotions at the club plays for Werribee City Soccer Club, and felt the pain of loss with the rest of Australia.
“A lot of people went pretty crazy about it,” he said of the referee’s last minute decision to award a penalty to Italy.
The goal, which turned out to be the last kick of the match, ended Australia’s World Cup dream.
“It was a very heartbreaking last 30 seconds,” Mr Fustuca said.
He said there were no fights, but there were a few “heated discussions” about the referee’s decision.
The club hosted people as young as 12 and as old as 60, but there were more youngsters than usual.
“We had a lot of young people come to the club who don’t normally come to this type of venue, but because of the night it brought everyone together, and now they’re coming back again.”
The ISCW showed most of the two countries’ matches in its members’ lounge to raise money for the local team.
And the club has plans to cash in on the sport’s rising popularity to host more fundraising events in the future.
