Nobody was complaining about the impending sleepless nights, particularly after Australia beat Japan 3-1.

Australian soccer fans celebrate a goal of their team in the World Cup soccer match against Japan in a so-called 'fan festival' in Frankfurt, June 12, 2006. [Reuters]

Watching the Socceroos play in the World Cup for the first time in 32 years, Australian fans - some who only jumped on the bandwagon when Australia qualified by beating Uruguay last November - cheered wildly as Australia had the better early scoring chances in the Group F match, fell behind 1-0 but scored three late goals for the win.

Thousands watched on a big screen near the Opera House at Circular Quay in Sydney. After the match ended, about 1,000 fans left Circular Quay and marched through downtown streets in celebration, stopping traffic in the center of the city.

In the heavily Italian suburb of Leichhardt, the Norton Street restaurant strip was closed to enable residents to watch the Socceroos and then the Italians play their later opening match against Ghana.

At the Union Hotel in inner-city Sydney, a crowd of several hundred people who had crowded around big-screen TVs was becoming increasingly solemn as the game wore on. About 15 minutes before regulation time, the barman called last drinks. "What if we get a goal?" one drinker shouted.

The bar erupted when Tim Cahill kicked the equalizer for Australia, then again minutes later when Cahill put Australia ahead. The euphoria was even louder when John Aloisi scored a third in injury time.

"I thought it was all over, I was putting my Socceroos flag away and I was going to slink home," said Adam Taylor, a graphic artist from Sydney. "But now, it's whoa! Go us!"

Among those who watched from the comfort of their homes were Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, who said he expected a less than productive day by lawmakers in federal Parliament on Tuesday.

"There's going to be bleary-eyed Australians tomorrow as they turn up to work after the long weekend and it won't be because they hung one on," said Beazley. "I expect a fairly desultory day in parliament tomorrow as we have some of the effects of having celebrated a great Socceroos win."

New South Wales state Premier Morris Iemma went one step further, urging employers to go easy on workers who aren't on time Tuesday.

"If they turn up late, give them a break," said Iemma. "It's been 32 years of frustration and disappointment."

Television ratings, despite the timing of the match, were expected to provide another bonus for the SBS network, a multicultural station that is the smallest of Australia's free-to-air broadcasters.

Monday's game was the first at the World Cup for Australia since 1974, when the Socceroos lost to host West Germany, East Germany and drew 0-0 with Chile in their only other trip to the tournament. They failed to score a goal and were eliminated after the first round.