Football Stories: Wilkshire and Carney reflect on historic first Germany triumph
Former Socceroos stars Luke Wilkshire and David Carney took a trip down memory lane as they recounted the goals that they scored against Germany in their 2-1 friendly win in 2011.
Watch them relive the match in the video player above!
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Luke Wilkshire and David Carney reflect on that fateful night in Dusseldorf in March 2011 which saw them propel the Socceroos to victory against Germany.
Australia were humbled by Germany in their previous meeting at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, with the green and gold suffering a 4-0 defeat.
Wilkshire featured for the full 90 minutes in that encounter while Carney witnessed the devastation from the bench.
The friendly fixture just over nine months later provided the Socceroos with the perfect opportunity to redeem themselves.
“The score line in that game at the World Cup cost us in terms of qualification. Naturally we were well aware of that and that Germany had a fantastic record at home, so going there was always going to be tough plus having Holger Osieck with his German background gave it a little bit extra flavour,” Wilkshire said.
“We wanted to make amends for the 4-0 loss, and we went into every game wanting to win and we always believed we’d be a handful for any team - even the champions of the world.”
The team was already quite pumped in the lead up to the match and knew that they would have to put in a near perfect performance to see off the Germans on their own turf.
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“When you’re playing Germany, you’re definitely up for it and it’s one of those games you’ve got to be one hundred percent committed and, on your game, otherwise you can see what Germany had done to other teams in the past,” Carney said.
“I don’ think Holger (Osieck) had to give us too much of a gee up before that game but we didn’t start great to be fair.
“We were 1-0 down and lucky to get one back and then I think once we got one back, we were definitely the better team and deserved to win.”
Wilkshire was confident that it was the mentality and belief throughout the squad which helped them over the line that night.
“We were always full of confidence and belief in our group and we were aggressive and I think that showed in the game to obviously come back from a goal down, cracking goal it was too, against such a team and win the game,” Wilkshire said.
“Don’t get me wrong, we rode our luck a few times but all-in-all we were the same as always. The game plan going into it which was to be aggressive and confident.”
The Socceroos equaliser arrived in the 61st minute from Carney after he played a slick one-two with Matt McKay before slotting the ball past the outstretched Tim Wiese in goal.
“I was overlapping on the left and I got the ball and I came inside and played Matt McKay actually. I played sort of a bobbled pass to him, looking back on it there probably wasn’t much for him to do but I played it to get back to feet again but I think he’s dummied or flicked it and don’t know if he meant it exactly but I think that was the only thing he could do,” Carney recounted.
“I was just lucky enough I had the run on the defenders at the time to get past them and then the keeper’s come out and I sort of tried to put it under him and he tried to come out and scissor kick me.
“Lucky enough it went in.”
It took only three minutes before the Socceroos found themselves in front for the first time in the match when Wilkshire converted from the spot after Harry Kewell was brought down in the penalty area.
“H (Harry Kewell) did well to win the penalty for us and we obviously got the equaliser, so we were full of confidence and I’d stepped up to take quite a few penalties, it’s probably the only time I got to score goals, Wilkshire said.
“It was great to have that I had one thing on my mind. Go down the middle which is what I like to do all the time.”
“To score a winning goal any time is great but to score against the Germans was fantastic.
“It was sweet once it hit that net, I couldn’t complain.”
It was a feeling of elation when the full-time whistle blew as Australia secured their first ever win over Germany.
“We were ecstatic. No one gave us a chance going into the game, especially after they saw what happened in the World Cup game,” Wilkshire said.
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