It was a showcase of everything great about sport - and Shepparton.
The AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers at McEwen Reserve were truly an event to remember, with plenty of highs on and off the pitch.
Officially announced on July 13, nobody, either from Shepparton or Football Australia could have predicted how well the week-long tournament would unfold.
We saw some of Asia’s future soccer stars play in our own backyard, we saw our city broadcast across the globe and we saw praise from across the board.
An impressive 3014 people attended the home of the Goulburn Valley Suns across the three match days, with a tournament high of 1117 seeing Australia secure qualification against China on Sunday afternoon.
Beginning with a press conference on Tuesday, October 4, the progression of the tournament from something that was going on - to something people couldn’t miss was clear to see.
Wild weather on match day one - and two one-sided results - had many wondering what the tournament was all about - however, match day two made it clear.
After losing 23-0 to Australia in its first game, Northern Mariana Islands put on an incredible performance against China in its second game.
Despite losing 11- 0, the performance of goalkeeper Vicente Jose Reyes and his teammates moved coach Michiteru Mita to tears of pride - in a press conference like few others.
Bought beer by locals at the pub, gifted a donation and sent supportive messages, the Islands’ experience in Shepparton rejuvenated their international soccer aspirations and was a true showing of the power of sport.
While Australia qualified for next year’s tournament in Bahrain in impressive fashion, the tournament was more than just what happened on McEwen Reserve’s pristine surface.
The event showed the Victorian Government and the world that Shepparton can host international sporting events.
It has further pushed the city’s case to be a 2023 Women’s World Cup base camp and is sure to have caught the eye of the organisers of the A-Leagues.
Locking in Shepparton as one of regional Australia’s soccer heartlands, the event will only help local clubs, while the inclusion of Garang Kuol and James Nieuwenhuizen in the Young Socceroos’ team adds further feathers to the sport’s hat.
Soccer in Shepparton continues to thrive and last weeks AFC U-17 tournament has only had a positive impact on the sport in the region.