If you watched Australia’s first match at this Asian Cup but missed the second, you’re in luck; you really missed nothing.
Thursday night’s 1-0 win over Syria was almost a carbon copy of the Socceroos’ opening victory over India, right down to the fact that they needed a slice of good fortune – capitalised upon by Jackson Irvine – nto break another frustrating deadlock. The only real difference was it took 10 minutes longer to arrive, there was no second goal to follow, and it required a lot more grit and determination to see the result through.
Jackson Irvine, centre, celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Syria.Credit: AP
Once again, Graham Arnold’s men were confronted with a well-organised, compact and disciplined opponent and could not crack the code. Eventually, they found a way through, but like the error from the Indian goalkeeper which helped Irvine break the deadlock five days earlier, it was pretty lucky.
Then again, sometimes you make your own luck in football. Martin Boyle showed some sorely needed dare when he kick-started the move in the 59th minute at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, cutting inside from the right flank and beating two defenders before arriving into Australia’s attacking box. It was there he lost of control of the ball as he tried to slip a pass through to a teammate, but somehow it rebounded off several bodies and found its way to Irvine, who still had plenty to do, turning cleverly and toe-poking it past goalkeeper Ahmad Madania. It was the first shot on target of the match.
Nine minutes later, Australia’s captain and custodian Maty Ryan nearly spilled a tricky long-range attempt from Moayad Ajan into his own net. It was that sort of night.
On one hand, the win was all that mattered. This was hard yakka against a tricky opponent, and they got the job done. As such, the Socceroos have now booked their spot in the round of 16, making Tuesday night’s third Group B clash with Uzbekistan a probable battle for top spot in the group. Plus, this was a sixth consecutive clean sheet, and that’s not to be sneezed at. They’re growing into this tournament, you could say, as champion teams often do.
Moayad Ajan of Syria battles for possession with Jordan Bos.Credit: Getty Images
On the other hand, this was a continuation of the stodgy, static football Arnold’s Socceroos tend to play in matches they’re expected to win, against less-fancied teams who sit back in numbers. They didn’t create much. It was, at times, quite boring to watch. None of this will really matter if they can go deep enough and revert to their punchy counter-attacking style against teams like Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea – a formula which the 2022 World Cup proved works a treat. But most fans would like to think this team and these players are capable of more.
The debate will roll on and on, but winners are grinners.
Arnold made three changes to the team that knocked off India 2-0. Jordy Bos, who replaced Craig Goodwin on the left wing, was the pick of the new faces, his enterprising runs and one-v-one ability providing the few bright sparks in an otherwise dire first 45 minutes from Australia.
They started well in the opening exchanges but faded quickly, as the match fell into an all too familiar pattern: U-shaped possession, zero penetration, and a bunch of set pieces without success.
Australia’s Harry Souttar fights for the ball against Syria’s Pablo Sabbag.Credit: AP
In fact, it was Syria who generated the two clearest-cut chances of the opening half. The first came just five minutes in, when striker Pablo Sabbag – one of several South Americans of Syrian descent who have been ‘recruited’ for this tournament – peeled away from his market and smacked a shot that had Ryan beaten, but fortunately not the post. It bounced away to safety.
A few minutes before the break, a failed Gethin Jones clearance was pounced on by winger Ammar Ramadan, who drove inboard and took aim, but pulled his shot just wide of the target.
In between was a whole lot of not much from the Socceroos, with the creativity deficit that was clearly evident on opening night in Qatar once again painfully apparent.
Individual performances will give Arnold something to think about. Jones, the Perth-born Bolton Wanderers defender who represented Wales at junior international level, was below par. Mitch Duke, up front, battled without much joy. Riley McGree was again terrific off the bench in the second half, further pushing his claims for a starting berth.
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