The re-birth of Mark Bresciano as a Socceroo has coach Holger Osieck excited about what may come in the future.
The Qantas Socceroos- 4-2 World Cup qualification win over Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night may have been in a dead rubber in theory, but the re-birth of Mark Bresciano as a Socceroo could prove the most significant moment of Holger Oseick's quest to qualify for Brazil 2014.
Bresciano ended his 20-month exile as a Socceroo in spectacular fashion, playing a key role as Australia overcame a 2-1 deficit to win in with a three-goal surge late in the game.
The 32-year-old, based in the UAE with Al Nasr, relished his attacking midfield role, setting up the first and fourth goal and linking up with great effect with his peer Harry Kewell to produce what Osieck described as the style of football he wants to play.
"Mark was definitely the game dominating element in midfield," Osieck said post match.
"I have seen him (previously) only in the World Cup against Ghana and he played in a different position and in a different role, but having got a lot of different kinds of DVDS and having seen him training, I decided him to play him in that central role.
"He brings all the quality and all the ingredients to play this role very efficiently."
The German was clearly mightily impressed with Bresciano's game and he would have also been greatly pleased with Kewell, who has previously struggled to assert himself under Osieck since returning to the A-League.
Kewell had a host of chances which narrowly missed before he scored the crucial equaliser which tipped the momentum of the game in the 73rd minute.
Osieck was reluctant to single out individuals, but did say he felt the second half was some of the best football under his tenure, especially under the psychological pressure of going behind in the last minute of the first half.
"Second half we got our stuff together, we played excellent football, we played the football I want us to play from the 60th minute onward," he said.
"It was a lot of imagination, creativity, we played the ball up, we played the ball into the channels, there was a lot of mobility and movement and pace and I think that is the football that I want to see."
Osieck said there was no point in him concerning himself over Australia's draw for the next round and that it wasn't a wishing well. The draw will occur on March 9.
"You have to play whoever you get and from experience, whoever you play on the road, it is a tough one," he said.
Meanwhile Frank Rijkaard looks certain to have had his final game in charge of Saudi Arabia after they failed to make the World Cup for the second time in succession.
He said he felt his side were physically and mentally intimidated late in the match and suffered for a lack of experience.