Fans gather outside the Civic Theatre

A-League © A-League

An estimated two-thousand people congregated in Wheeler Place in the early hours of the morning to watch the Socceroos qualify for the Round of 16 at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Stuttgart, Germany.

A 2-2 draw with Croatia was enough to see the Aussies progress past the group stage, with their next match scheduled against Group E winners Italy on Tuesday, 27th June at 1am (AEST).

The match will be played in Kaiserslauten, where Australia earned it's first ever World Cup win against Japan two weeks ago with a 3-1 scoreline.

And with piping hot coffees and sausage sizzles from the Juicy Beans Cafe, Wheeler Place with it's big screen will again provide the ideal atmosphere to catch all the action. Pre-match entertainment will begin from 11.00pm.

"The atmosphere was great" said Juicy Beans Cafe owner Peter James.

"Game after game the crowd here continues to grow and we're expecting a massive turnout for the Italy match".

"But I'd recommend getting in early if you want to grab a seat!".

Next Match at Wheeler Place:
Australia v Italy - Round of 16
Tuesday 27th June
Kick-off is at 1.00am
*Entertainment from 11.00pm (Monday night)