Australia 1 Uzbekistan 0
A precious World Cup away win for Australia in Tashkent. Three points and a wonderful start for the Socceroos on the path to South Africa.
Australia started wonderfully against a timid Uzbek side.
Australia defended well against the expected Uzbek onslaught. It never came, not early and it wasn't until Australia had scored that the Uzbeks were able to get some sustained pressure and corners.
The feared Uzbek's seemed to fear Australia and maybe they should. Australia certainly have the goal threat to hurt many Asian teams and the opposition seem to realise it.
Australia scored through World Cup hero Scott Chipperfield about 25 minutes in. A Luke Wilkshire cross finding the Aussie right back coming through to head home. Good stuff.
And the South African road seemed a little easier.
Pim Verbeek choosing Chipperfield over the non-scoring David Carney and Chipperfield had an excellent first half.
Jacob Burns replaced a sick Jason Culina and Josh Kennedy was dropped for Marco Bresciano.
Harry Kewell and Brett Holman combined to put Marco Bresciano through one on one in the 45th minute. What a chance what a miss.
Carl Valeri was booked so will miss the next game. With Vinny Grella injured that could be a problem.
At times it was easy in the first half as the Aussies passed and passed their way out of trouble.
In the second half it was tense in Tashkent.
The Uzbeks through numbers forward and pressed high up the field.
It was a different game and Australia found it hard to put any passes together. They suddenly looked tired and you began to think Bresciano's miss could cost the team.
But they weathered a long storm and even could have snatched a second through David Carney and Brett Holman.
Immense for Australia were Lucas Neill, Scott Chipperfield, Brett Emerton and Carl Valeri.
Jacob Burns did enough. Harry Kewell played another game and well enough. Chris Coyne adds depth to the squad.
Cold Turkey came on late on to prove Benchman Graham Arnold correct. Bruce can't play in the heat:)
An important win, a bonus for Coach Pim Verbeek in all honesty.
Although Verbeek played a more attacking side than he has in Iraq, for example.
Next up Qatar in Brisbane another great night in prospect. Let the good times roll.
2 comments:
Were you watching the same game as me? Australia were passable at best; true they kept hold of the ball well in the first half against a side content to stand off and watch, but Uzbekistan have been intensively over hyped by the media prior to this match (UAE aside, the Uzbeks have the worst overall qualification record of any of the ten sides still in the Asian comp)and apart from Shatskikh they offer absolutely nothing up front to trouble a decent defence. Qatar in Brisbane is not another great night in prospect, merely another rotten ninety minutes of huffing and puffing and Brett Holman missing easy chances against a side that will take nil-nil from the start and stop at nothing to get it. Australia got lucky by avoiding the harder qualification group, but really, with the possibility of Japan away, none of these matches will prepare them adequately for a succesful World Cup Finals, and nor will Pim Verbeek.
Uzbek's may have been overhyped but I suspect they will take points off other sides.
And any away win in International football is good at this stage of the tournament. This and the Qatar away performance gives me some, small hope for the future.
Let's face it Australia are hardly World beaters are they.
A gathering of players at lesser clubs albeit some in Premier European Leagues.
Rotten 90 minutes? First half was fine.
And I'd rather get to South Africa and find out how good we are then.
Besides this squad can only improve.
As for Holman I love his pace and work rate. Sure he doesn't score enough but I've watched many Aussies teams who could never create a goal, never mind get one. Holman always gets a chance and Holman will do until Cahill is back.
Still that's football Scott, same game different view. Just glad we got the points.
Post a Comment