John Aloisi remembers the sequence like it was yesterday.

The deep breath at the top of his mark, the deliberate approach, the perfect left-footed strike and the ball flying past Uruguay's diving gloveman Fabian Carini into the net.

Then pandemonium for more than 83,000 fans packed into Sydney's Olympic Stadium.

The watershed moment on November 16, 2005, ignited a golden era. Next year's tournament in North America will mark the Socceroos' sixth consecutive World Cup finals appearance.

"It was huge and now we just expect us to make it, but it's not easy," Aloisi said.

"Now the expectation is there."

Australian soccer followers who have been around long enough still remember the heartache of near misses following Australia's first World Cup finals appearance in 1974.

The Socceroos re

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