Debutant Tim Cahill was happy to have got some minutes in his legs after helping Melbourne City to a 2-1 win over Brisbane Strikers in the Westfield FFA Cup Round of 16 on Wednesday night.
In front of a sold-out Perry Park crowd, Cahill came on just after the hour to generous applause from the local fans.
And his presence helped City to edge an impressive Strikers side. But the Caltex Socceroo superstar admitted he has plenty of work before he’s fully fit.
“I needed something, that was my first game time in six, seven, weeks,” he told Fox Sports.
“Had a tough six days [of training] after arriving from New York but it’s tough, it’s probably what I needed.”
Cahill paid tribute to Strikers who looked dangerous throughout and didn’t look out of place against the big-spenders from Melbourne.
“They are a good little team. They had a lot of chances and fortunately they didn’t take them. It reminds me of the good old days at Millwall when we played Premier League teams and how much you’d be up for the game.
“And these guys were up for it. It’s a big moment for them and they can be proud of what they achieved. Really good effort and good intent.”
Cahill was a huge hit with the fans, signing endless autographs after the game in what was an unforgettable night for the local faithful.
“To come to places like this and help fill the ground up and contribute for 30 minutes is nice. Obviously I’d like to have done a bit more on the pitch but that time will tell with some games coming up with the Socceroos.
“But this is amazing and really happy for them [Strikers].”
