Saudi Arabia v Australia

[the_gun]

australia up 1-0 at HT. goal by J Kennedy. Australia looking the better team for the moment.

[the_gun]

FT Saudi Arabia 1 - Australia 3. 2 for kennedy and a pen for wilkshire. great result away from home.

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

GREAT RESULT....WELL DONE...


PERHAPS the Socceroos prefer to do it the hard way. After the anaemic performance in Brisbane on Friday, a diametric display of graft and craft in the heat of the Middle East secured a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Saudi Arabia in today's World Cup qualifier.
Two goals from Josh Kennedy and a Luke Wilkshire penalty emphasised the Australians' excellent night at the office, especially with coach Holger Osieck boldly dropping Tim Cahill to a starting spot on the bench.

The victory leaves Australia sitting pretty at the top of their group, six points from two games giving breathing space ahead of Thailand in second on three, after they beat Oman 3-0.

All the talk before the match was about Osieck's decisiveness, making several changes to the side that laboured to that lucky win over the Thais late last week.



As well dropping Cahill to the bench, Osieck brought in Sasa Ogenovski for Matthew Spiranovic and Mile Jedinak for Neil Kilkenny, with Matt McKay restored to the left wing and Michael Zullo in at left back.

Straight away there was more composure from the green and gold, keeping the ball intelligently in the heat and using possession to take the wind out of Saudi attempts to build up pressure.

Ironically, the first real threat to Mark Schwarzer's goal came inadvertently from a teammate, Carl Valeri tracking back intelligently into his own box but stumbling over a low cross and diverting it goalwards. Only Schwarzer's reflexes kept the score goalless.

A few minutes later, on the quarter hour, Nawaf Al Abid wriggled free on the left and sent a low cross unanswered across the face of Schwarzer's goal.

Then on the half hour, Ahmed Ateef let fly from distance but straight into the arms of the veteran Socceroos goalkeeper.

The time lapse between these half chances showed the efficacy of the Socceroos display, unruffled in defence and calm in midfield possession.

Slowly the Australians began to think about chances of their own and Matt McKay slalomed in from the left and sent a shot just wide from 20 metres.

That came after a sustained and imaginiative Socceroos passing move that hinted at things to come.

Then Holman turned his man with alacrity on the halfway line and scorched down the inside left channel, only to waste the opening with an ambitious and inaccurate shot.

No matter. Just five minutes from halftime there was a further and effective green and gold incursion. A quick passing move gave Luke Wilkshire a moment of freedom on the right side of the box and his cross was weighted and accurate, allowing Kennedy to direct a powerful header into the bottom left corner of the Saudi goal.

After the hit-and-hope nature of so many crosses against Thailand, this showed yet again the value of good delivery and the Saudis looked forlorn to be behind.

Refreshed by the halftime break, both sides looked optimistic in the second half, Valeri letting fly from distance to miss by centimetres and Naif Hazazi escaping his markers in the Australian box only to send a weak header straight at Schwarzer.

Before the hour mark, though, Australia's greater quality was established in clinical fashion, courtesy of an awful mistake by Saudi keeper Hasan Al Otaibi.

His pass to a defender was slack and telegraphed and Holman nipped in to grab the ball and instantly slip it inside to put Kennedy clear on goal. His finish was calm, side-footed and deadly.

It should have been game over, but on 65 minutes Saudi Arabia had a lifeline the otherwise excellent Zullo caught goalside and tripping substitute Nassir Al Shamrani to concede a penalty. Al Shamrani himself took it, and though his first effort was saved by Schwarzer the rebound ran kindly for an easy tap-in.

At 2-1 there were definite flutters among the green and gold, but then another gift came their way from the obliging home defence.

Luke Wilkshire swung over a corner and Osama Hawsawi elected to mark Kennedy by means of pulling him to the floor. The penalty was obvious and, once granted, was lashed home by Wilkshire.

At 3-1, even with Hazazi ratling the bar with a header, the Saudis were spent and only a sly, raking foul on Holman by Al Shamrani raised temperatures for a second.

It threatened to produce blood, and there was a huge amount of sweat exponded over 90 minutes but, ultimately, no tears for Australia.

Brazil 2014 just got substantially more in focus.

[BADA BING]

Thats a great win away from home, obviously the game against the Thais just dusted off the old cobwebs

[UNITEDCITY]

6 points, two more wins at home and we will be the next group stage....2014 looking on track!!!!!


3 world cups in a row!!!!!!!

[TOPGUNJIMMYAUFC]

on fox replay now

[Con]

Yeah, much better than last Friday!

Left-footers Zullo & McKay worked out well. Holman getting better & better.

Bold decision putting Cahill on the bench.

[the_gun]

correct decision imo.

[DOC]

cahill on the bench as a good will move to moyes and everton, holger, unlike pim, is trying to foster good relations with these coaches and resting players when he can

see the results in the other groups, korea and japan both drew, would love to see a big name drop at this stage

[Petro83]

6 points, two more wins at home and we will be the next group stage....2014 looking on track!!!!!


3 world cups in a row!!!!!!!

only if we had this path to world cups back in the 80s, then maybe football in aust would be further ahead.

[winzor]

6 points, two more wins at home and we will be the next group stage....2014 looking on track!!!!!


3 world cups in a row!!!!!!!

only if we had this path to world cups back in the 80s, then maybe football in aust would be further ahead.

I don't see how that works... in the eighties we managed to lose to New Zealand and Fiji in world cup qualifiers!

[DOC]

6 points, two more wins at home and we will be the next group stage....2014 looking on track!!!!!


3 world cups in a row!!!!!!!

only if we had this path to world cups back in the 80s, then maybe football in aust would be further ahead.

I don't see how that works... in the eighties we managed to lose to New Zealand and Fiji in world cup qualifiers!

the 82 new zealand side was a very good side, prob better than the 2010 side

[Outlaw 2.0]

New Zealand

1982
Line-up
[22]
Frank VAN HATTUM (GK)
[6]
Robert ALMOND
[7]
Wynton RUFER
[9]
Steve WOODDIN
[10]
Steve SUMNER (C)
[11]
Sam MALCOLMSON
[12]
Keith McKAY
[13]
Kenny CRESSWELL
[14]
Adrian ELRICK
[15]
John HILL
[17]
Allan BOATH

Substitute(s)
[1]
Richard WILSON
[2]
Glen DODS
[3]
Ricki HERBERT
[4]
Brian TURNER
[5]
Dave BRIGHT
[8]
Duncan COLE
[16]
Glen ADAM
[18]
Peter SIMONSEN
[19]
Billy McCLURE
[20]
Grant TURNER
[21]
Barry PICKERING

Coach
John ADSHEAD (ENG


2010
1 Mark PASTON
12 Glen MOSS
23 James BANNATYNE

2 Ben SIGMUND
3 Tony LOCHHEAD
4 Winston REID
5 Ivan VICELICH
6 Ryan NELSEN
18 Andy BOYENS
19 Tommy SMITH

7 Simon ELLIOTT
8 Tim BROWN
11 Leo BERTOS
13 Andy BARRON
15 Michael McGLINCHEY
16 Aaron CLAPHAM
17 Dave MULLIGAN
21 Jeremy CHRISTIE

9 Shane SMELTZ
10 Chris KILLEN
14 Rory FALLON
20 Chris WOOD
22 Jeremy BROCKIE

[Red-4-Life]

Excellent win away from home in what would have been tough conditions. Definitely makes up for the lackluster performance at Suncorp on Friday night. 6 points from 2 games, good start!

[JED]

surprising result after the previous mess well done to the Aussies

[UNITEDCITY]

whens the next game

[Petro83]

whens the next game

Early october