After very little sleep and then an early morning flight from Melbourne back to Sydney on Jetstar Airways, some much needed relaxation helped with preparations for the Group B match between Uzbekistan and DPR Korea.
What a difference between the cold and damp conditions experienced the previous day and the very warm and humid weather in Sydney and Stadium Australia set close to the geographic centre of this multi-cultural city with a population of well over 4.5 million residents.
Expectations were much lower in terms of the likely crowd size with well publicised factors including impediments and logistical difficulties for supporters of both nations wishing to travel to the tournament.