Cometh the hour, cometh Tim Cahill!

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Bengaluru, October 11: Ever since Australia's Tim Cahill signalled his arrival on the international stage with a two-goal blitz against Japan in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the adage 'cometh the hour, cometh Tim Cahill' has become kind of a cliche.

It is time to repeat that often-used cliche once again after his match-winning efforts against Syria in the World Cup continental play-off tie in Sydney yesterday (October 10).

His two goals in front of a packed Stadium Australia was simply the stuff of the legend as it helped the Socceroos stay in the hunt on the Road to Russia and earned them an intercontinetal play-off tie against Honduras next month.

With the opening leg play-off level at 1-1 and having conceded an early goal in the return leg, the Socceroos had their backs to the wall.

But like he has done on many previous occasions, Cahill turned his team's saviour once again by first netting the equaliser in the 13th minute and then the all-important winner in the extra time which also his 50th international goal, the first by an Australian.

Cahill, who is just two months shy of turning 38, described his goals as "like waiting for a bus".

"I knew I was going to score," he said of his 109th-minute match winner.

"You've got to write your own script. I said to Tommy Rogic if you don't take your moment then I'm going to take it. I've done it my whole life and I'll continue to do it."

Aussie coach Ange Postecoglou surprised many by starting with Cahill in place of Aaron Mooy and the Melbourne City forward reposed the faith by turning the clock back in an extraordinary performance.

And Cahill was happy to have vindicated the faith Postecoglou had in him.

"For me, I'm just glad the boss gave me the opportunity and believed in me to leave me out there (for 120 minutes).

"It's a responsibility when I play. This is my passion. I will run to the end for this manager and these players," he added as he posted a video of his goals on his Facebook wall.

For a team that is still struggling to come to terms with the exit of several players of the old generation, like Harry Kewell and Lucas Neill, Cahill's presence lends semblance of stability to the Socceroos.

After the 2014 Brazil World Cup, Australia have been trying to rebuild the team, with Postecoglou increasingly leaning on a youthful squad. Cahill has formed the link between the old and new order.

It is not for the first time Cahill has bailed his team out of trouble. There could be some more rescue acts.

When it comes to crunch games, Cahill has this uncanny ability of raising his game.

His equaliser against Iraq in the World Cup qualifier in Doha in 2012 and the famous bicycle kick against China in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal in Brisbane are all part of the Socceroos folklore. And who can forget his stunning goal against the Netherlands in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The genial player has many first to his credits including being the country's first scorer in the World Cup, the first to don 100 caps and now the first to score 50 international goals.

The greatest compliment for Cahill came from Postecoglou himself.

"He's just a freak. He's got real belief in himself. He's just a unique, extraordinary individual.

"It's not just football, to Australia as a nation, he's a great Australian, he transcends sport," Postecoglou said.

Whether he is Socceroos' best-player remains open to debate. But when you need a goal, that too in a big game, Cahill is there. Cometh the hour, cometh Tim Cahill!