On the same night Landon Donovan bid adieu (check the video at the bottom of the link) to international soccer in an emotional evening in Hartford, we were Australia fans for a few hours in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE was playing host to the Aussies (or Socceroos, as they sometimes are known, back in the antipodes), and the match was just up the street from where we live.

And why were we Oz fans, sted UAE fans?

Because Leah went along (she loves nothing more than in-person soccer on hot nights in the AUH), and women tend to feel more comfortable with the visiting supporters — who seem more welcoming.

So, there we were among the Aussies, who did their team proud. They filled a large section at field level, and then another section in the end zone was opened, and the extra fans spilled over into there. Maybe a thousand of them, in all — which was about a third of the crowd in the cavernous Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.

And, yes, a woman among Aussie fans is not the “three-legged-dog” experience it can be among UAE fans, who certainly do not demand a male-only crowd — it just turns out that way — aside from the tiny “family” sections.

Oz fans have some advantages over U.S. fans, too.

While Yanks at the Donovan farewell were chanting the ponderous: “I believe that we can win” … the Aussies had the tried, true and catchy call and response of …

“Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!”

“Oy! Oy! Oy!”

Which they popped a time or three.

They carried flags, some of them, and wore Socceroos jerseys (Tim Cahill being the favorite). They sang their national anthem (underrated; and it’s not “Waltzing Matilda”; jump to the 2:30 mark), and were very polite to each other as they sorted out who would sit where, and seemed pleased to be able to cheer their own side. And lots of kids were there. Lots of them. And the price was right — no cost at all.

The only downside to the whole project … was the game in front of us.

The biggest excitement in the first half was when Tim Cahill began to warm up, in front of us. (He didn’t start.) As he went by, doing the silly soccer-players-loosening-up exercises, one of the teen Aussies shouted: “Oy, Timmy! Give us a wave?”

Cahill promptly waved. Everyone cheered.

Australian soccer reminds me a little of U.S. soccer, circa 1993 or so. Gritty. Determined. In shape. Lots of running. But technically limited, vision-impaired, unable to keep possession in traffic.

And always struggling to score.

The Aussies dominated proceedings, but they are pretty much clueless in the attacking third, and the best chance was by the Emiratis, who would have scored without a clearance by an industrious defender.

It ended 0-0, and it was about as enthralling as the final score would suggest.

Normally, you would think the UAE would be happier with that than the Aussies, but the Emiratis are ranked No. 73 in the world, at the moment, by Fifa and Australia is 84. So not a bad result for Australia, away. On a steamy night.

Meanwhile, the Emiratis decided they were OK with the tie, too — in part because Australia has played in the past three World Cups while the UAE has watched them on TV.

Most of the world thinks Australia is a World Cup team; they do not think that of the UAE.

The next time these two see each other will be in Australia in January, at the Asian Cup. Both have a chance to do some damage. This is the best UAE team in a generation, and Australia will be the host. So.

It was fun being an Aussie for a night, since Landon and the Yanks were on the otherside of the world.