Melbourne, Dec. 1 -- Australia hailed Graham Arnold's new "golden generation" on Thursday and fans demanded a national holiday as the country celebrated the Socceroos' unlikely advance to the World Cup knockout phase.

Thousands gathered at Melbourne's Fed Square in the middle of the night to watch Australia's 1-0 upset of Denmark on a big screen, and were left dancing in the smoky light of flares as the Socceroos set up a last 16 clash against Argentina.

Arnold's team matched the side who made the last 16 at the 2006 World Cup in Germany but with a squad lacking the pedigree of the players from 16 years ago who came to be known as Australia's "golden generation".

"Tell your kids. Tell your loved ones. Tell your mates. Whisper it, yell ...