If only, if only...

Forget Bafana Bafana, the story of this World Cup for Australia is If Only, If Only.

If only we'd played like that against Germany.

If only Harry Kewell hadn't been sent off.

If only we could have found that winner against Ghana.

If only Pim hadn't take leave of his senses for the opening match.

If only we could start this campaign all over again.

What a brave performance that was against Ghana. All the spirit, style, skill and control we've demanded for so long was finally on display.

We might not yet get out of the group stage, but at least there is now the chance that some will remember this battling performance rather than the humiliating hapless shambles we put on a few days before.

It truly was a night of redemption in Rustenburg for our side - for the Socceroos as a whole and for many players as individuals.

And even for Pim Verbeek.

He proved he was not too big to admit when he was wrong.

He returned to the 4-2-3-1, he played Kewell from the start, likewise Bresciano, Chipperfield was dropped for Carney and Valeri replaced the 'injured' Grella.

Even after the red card, he timed his substitutions well and made changes that invigorated the side rather than simply replaced tiring legs, tinkering with the formation to maintain a dangerous attack as we searched for a winner.

Chippers' arrival seemed to be a strategic mistake but he proved Pim right with his late contribution.

The quick legs of Rukavytsya ensured there would be no rest for the Ghana midfield and defence and Kennedy proved to be a handful for the Ghana backline.

It was aggressive tactics, but balanced against the strengths of the players, and kept Ghana largely on the back foot the entire match. They must have kept expecting us to tire...and we just never did.

Also redeemed was Harry's insistence that he was fit - he might only have been on the park for 25 minutes before his cruel dismissal, but never once did he look like a player lacking match fitness or sharpness.

Craig Moore - so maligned last week for his contribution - looked like the Moore of old, the years rolled away to be the reliable last line of defence we need. His pace was still questionable, but he was on top of his game again.

And Brett Holman. So much abuse has been thrown at him for so long but he never appears to let it get him down. He just keeps on keeping on, and earned hero status - and a well-deserved break from the critics - for finding the net in this game.

The team as a whole was just a different class from the garbage they served up against Germany. We played tight at the back, marking players instead of trying to lure them into dumb offside traps.

Midfield largely kept the ball well and kept it moving positively with sharp passing and pushing ahead instead of the one step forward-two steps back-misplaced pass that has held us back recently.

At times, especially midway through the second half - it was a genuine joy to watch. We played good football, not just backs to the wall defence or a hail mary attack.

We were attractive and aggressive. Despite the dodgy referee calls, we kept our discipline - and for the most part, you would never have known we were the team missing a man for more than an hour.

This was the performance we could be proud of.

Which makes the result all the harder to bear. Has it come together too late? Can we yet salvage this World Cup campaign?

We will have no Kewell but Cahill will be back against Serbia. We may need to win by a ridiculous 7-0 to guarantee progression.

Can it be done? On the basis of this performance, if anyone can, the Socceroos can.

If only, if only...