All Whites v Socceroos at the MCG

Melbourne to host Socceroo World Cup farewell
Peter Rolfe From: Herald Sun February 20, 2010 6:42PM

EXCLUSIVE: MELBOURNE will play host to the Socceroos in their final match on Australian soil before this year's soccer World Cup.

The Socceroos will take on fellow World Cup competitors New Zealand in a historic farewell match at the MCG on Monday, May 24.

A full squad of Australian stars including Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill are expected to take the field for the clash ahead of the World Cup kicking off in June.

They will be based in Melbourne for a week before the match with other community events still to be announced.

Premier John Brumby said Melbourne had pulled off a coup landing the match which was being pursued by several Australian cities including Sydney.

"Melbourne is the sporting capital of the world so there is no better place for Socceroos fans to see the last match on home soil before they embark for a tilt at World Cup glory in South Africa,'' he said.

"No other Australian city draws bigger crowds for Socceroos matches than Melbourne and we expect a huge number of local fans as well as those flying in from interstate and across the Tasman.

"The Kiwis are in for a big shock when they run out onto the MCG to a sea of green and gold.''

More than 90,000 fans packed the MCG to farewell the Socceroos in a match against Greece before the last World Cup.