How cruel miss proved Behich's sliding doors moment
The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special.
A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final.
But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed.
Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end.
It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back.
Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park.
"I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP.
"So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens.
"It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity.
"So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way.
"So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance.
"At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.'
"But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story."
The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it.
Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup.
He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey.
But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle.
"It'd be up there, definitely," he said.
"I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career.
"But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me."
The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special.
A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final.
But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed.
Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end.
It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back.
Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park.
"I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP.
"So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens.
"It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity.
"So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way.
"So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance.
"At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.'
"But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story."
The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it.
Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup.
He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey.
But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle.
"It'd be up there, definitely," he said.
"I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career.
"But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me."
The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special.
A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final.
But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed.
Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end.
It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back.
Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park.
"I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP.
"So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens.
"It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity.
"So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way.
"So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance.
"At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.'
"But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story."
The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it.
Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup.
He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey.
But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle.
"It'd be up there, definitely," he said.
"I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career.
"But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me."
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In the fair dinkum department, however, you can start booking your tickets to North America because the Socceroos have a goal difference buffer of +10 over Saudi Arabia, the team they'll face in next week's final World Cup qualifier in Jeddah, and there's no universe in which that gets erased and Australia loses second spot in Group C. So rejoice – and prepare to rejoice again on Wednesday morning (AEST). In the meantime, Aziz Behich, please step forward and take your place in the pantheon of Australian heroes – right next to John Aloisi, Josh Kennedy and Andrew Redmayne, other Socceroo icons who have emerged from troubled times as qualification heroes. Though the rest of the match will be quickly forgotten, Behich's 90th-minute goal will be forever remembered. It came from nowhere: an inboard pass from the right from Jason Geria to fellow substitute Riley McGree, who turned beautifully and broke into space in Australia's penalty area. But his touch seemed too heavy, and the ball seemed destined to roll out for a goal kick. So he chased it, and cut the ball back to the penalty spot, picking out … well, nobody initially, but Behich went after it, beat a Japanese defender to it, and curled it in with his right foot. 'It was just about getting myself in a position into the box,' Behich said post-match. Loading 'One thing that the boss said at half-time was, we've still got to work hard, it'll be tough to break down, but we'll get our opportunity if we stick to our structure and get numbers into the box - and we'll get one opportunity, and we'll take it. 'I just tried to get myself into that back post area, and as soon as it sat and came off my foot, I felt I hit it pretty nicely. I actually didn't see the ball hit the net, I just saw the crowd erupt and players start running everywhere, and that's when I looked at the goal and was like – let's go. It's a beautiful moment. I'm grateful that I was the one to hit the back of the net, but the boys out there tonight had to work so hard.' Behich is one of Australia's most underappreciated players. He has spent most of his career trying to escape the memory of the 2010 A-League grand final, when he missed an open goal that could have won it for Melbourne Victory. Capped 80 times for the Socceroos, he is hardly the kind of guy who sells tickets or customised jerseys, and for a few years now, it's as if a good section of fans have been waiting for Jordan Bos or someone else to take his spot on the left side of defence so he can be forgotten. But Behich, 34, has a surplus of ticker, which is why teammates and coaches love him, why he never gives up, and why he is still such an important part of the national team. On Saturday night, he captained Melbourne City to an A-League championship, but that was just the entrée to the main dish: his first international goal since 2012, which sealed Australia's first win over Japan since 2009. 'With what's on the line for us, what we've had to go through this campaign, and obviously playing against a nation that we haven't beaten I don't know how many years … we're always the underdog and always expected to lose, but we always have belief within those four walls,' he said. 'This is right up there in my green and gold career.' So to the performance. The good thing is it doesn't matter – but it wasn't great. Having already qualified, Japan fielded a second-string team but still utterly dominated the first half, and mostly dominated the second half. Physically, at times, they monstered Australia. In terms of technique, the gulf was frightening. But for all their possession and territory, they managed just one shot on target for the whole match. The Socceroos did what Popovic teams tend to do, particularly in Asia: defend well, remain disciplined and focused, and strike when the opportunity is there. Loading Popovic now has over 12 months to find the missing pieces to Australia's game. There are more than a few, and they are very much needed for them to be competitive at a World Cup. In full context, though, he has done a wonderful job. When he was parachuted in as Graham Arnold's replacement, this team was in crisis, in shambles, and direct qualification looked in serious danger. He has achieved it – well, 'all but', for now – while also restoring pride in the jersey, regenerating his squad with new faces and ideas, and laying down a sturdy foundation which he and his players can now build upon.
