It was an exciting game with both teams playing all out as a victory assured advancement.
Ironically, seven Australian players were of Croatian decent, and three Croatian players were born in Australia.
The Aussies made a surprise lineup change and decided to start backup keeper Zeljko Kalac instead of normal number one Mark Schwarzer.
It was a very questionable move as Kalac looked extremely shaky at times.
Less than two minutes in and Croatia scored their first goal of the tournament.
A Darijo Srna free kick outside the area was beautifully hit in for the score.
Five minutes later and Australia were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty as a Croatian was holding an Australian jersey in the area.
Australia got the equalizer in the 38th minute.
It came on a penalty when Croatian Stjepan Tomas hand balled in the area.
Craig Moore scored the spot kick.
Three minutes passed and a scare for the Aussies, as keeper Kalac mishandled an easy ball that was dropped and almost rolled into the goal.
Kalac was at it again in the 57th minute, allowing a Croatian goal on a horrible keeping error.
A fairly tame shot from just outside the area was blocked by Kalac but it somehow rolled past him and into the back of the net.
Minute 72 and it was helter skelter in the Croatian goal mouth.
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A corner kick was saved by keeper Stipe Pletikosa who caught the ball and fell down, but the ball came very close to crossing the goal line as two Aussies ended up on top of Pletikosa during the scramble.
Croatia dodged another bullet three minutes later when a Croatian hand ball in the area was not sanctioned a penalty by the referee.
But in the 79th minute Australia got another equalizer.
A free kick found its way into the area where Harry Kewell eventually latched onto it for the goal.
There was an Aussie in an offsides position close to the play however, but the linesman's flag remained down.
Croatian Dario Simic got his marching orders in the 85th minute.
His tackle from behind earned him a second yellow and a red.
Another red card came two minutes on.
Moments after an Australian defender cleared a ball off the line in a very dangerous moment, Aussie Brett Emerton also received a second yellow for a deliberate hand ball in the area.
The cards continued.
In the 90th minute, Croatian Josep Simunic was shown his second yellow, but the referee incredibly forgot about his first one and did not send him off.
It appeared that immediately after stoppage time, Simunic was shown his third yellow card and finally a red.
The ball was inside the Croatian goal apparently just after the final whistle, and Simunic was overly vociferous in his complaining.
The draw put Australia through to Round 2 while Croatia was sent packing.
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