Ange Postecoglou did what he could to play it down - as he was always going to - but coaching his adopted country against the nation of his birth was bound to stir special emotions.
He didn't want anyone to think he was conflicted, let alone focused on anything other than winning and putting on a show. But if he paused to think about the enormity of the moment as the match kicked off, he's earned it. Yet Postecoglou's well-told story is distinctly Australian. Especially in soccer. Of the 38,682 on hand at ANZ Stadium, a vast majority would share histories similar to his.
Perhaps it will be tougher to conceal the emotion on Tuesday, at Etihad Stadium in his home city, a quick tram ride up from where Middle Park's stands once stood and where the Hellenic community once congregated. 
But nationalist pride has tired among Greeks, both here and in the homeland, for many reasons. The soccer team hasn't helped the cause. Instead of being at the Euros, which begin next week, they are here. Why? Their qualification campaign consisted of one win, three draws and six defeats - one to the Faroe Islands, who they finished below on the table.
Where they split the MCG in half in 2006, the crowd at the Olympic venue was comparably one-sided. Admittedly, both teams are in different phases, particularly the Greeks. Two years before that MCG clash, they were European champions.
Like the Socceroos, the Galanolefki are in the process of being rebuilt. But without some of their best players - Kostas Mitroglou, Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Panagiotis Kone - it was tough to get an accurate gauge.
That Apostolos Giannou, who represented Greece last   November before changing sides, was also lining up for Australia must have also messed with their heads. In a night of genuine physicality, on both sides, he held up well.
Over the 90 minutes, it certainly looked that Australia was a significantly better team. Technically and tactically superior, let down only by sloppy finishing in the final third - and some fine keeping from Stefanos Kapino.
The last ditch effort from Mathew Leckie, to win the game, was no less than Australia deserved. He took it well, easing the pain of Tim Cahill's disallowed goal moments before.
Greece coach Michael Skibbe has clearly learnt from his German compatriot, Otto Rehhagel, about the Greeks' preferred style: get men behind the ball and defend for your lives. Their lone striker, Apostolos Vellios, rarely had a touch before coming off.
Above and beyond all players, on both sides, Aaron Mooy stood out for his silk. Virtually everything that Australia did in an attacking sense had his imprimatur written all over it. The real beauty about Mooy is that his play combined two simple but effective qualities: ball control and forward movement.
Tom Rogic also brought equal qualities to the playmaking role when he came on. Perhaps the question going forward is how Australia can fit them both into a 4-3-3 system. Mile Jedinak was his typically robust self, allowing Mark Milligan more of a license than usual going forward, even testing the goalkeeper a few times.
In his first match for the national team, Jason Geria was energetic at right-back and didn't look out of place, although he was seldom challenged defensively.
In Milos Degenek's second match, the defender looked calm and composed alongside Trent Sainsbury. Alex Gersbach, in limited time on his debut, put in some nice crosses, and helped find Leckie for the winner, sending the fans home happy.
At full-time, even the coach had squeezed out a rye smile.