The World Cup may be long over but the Socceroos and a record 47,609 fans at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night showed Australia's football party was still in full swing.

The end result - a 1-1 draw against Paraguay - may not have been the fairytale finish retiring stalwarts Zeljko Kalac, Tony Vidmar, Tony Popovic and Stan Lazaridis would have wanted.

But the match, in which Australia dominated the world No.21 South Americans for large periods, again showed the Socceroos at full strength can match it with the best on the globe.

Defender Popovic looked to have scripted the perfect farewell when he headed home Mark Bresciano's free kick in the 88th minute.

But an own-goal from substitute Michael Beauchamp three minutes into stoppage time ended the dream of a perfect party.

After a preparation marred by former skipper Craig Moore's no show at training and subsequent suspension, the Socceroos let their feet do all the talking.

Just six years ago, Australia drew 0-0 in a friendly with Paraguay at the `Gabba in a game which attracted few more than 3000 supporters. The crowd, by contrast, was the biggest ever for a soccer international in Brisbane.

It is yet another sign of just how much the game has grown since Australia ended 32 years of heartbreak to qualify for the World Cup finals last November.

There was no chance of a meagre turnout, with 19 of the 23-member squad from Germany available to play in the first game to feature the Socceroos' World Cup heroes on home soil.

Lucas Neill, the poster boy of the Socceroos' World Cup campaign - in which they stunned the globe by making the second round only to lose in the final seconds to eventual champion Italy - was superb in becoming the national team's 50th captain on a historic night.

A sell-out crowd is also expected for the Socceroos' Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain at Aussie Stadium on Wednesday.

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