Socceroos v Samurai Blue

[sevengoals]

It's in!

Oar sends in a cross that goes over the Japan keeper and under the bar!

82min

0-1

[sevengoals]

Penalty to Japan-

Handball in the box.
Japan score
1-1

[sevengoals]

Well that was that.

1-1

hell.

[EdDog]

Good result for us. Hard to swallow getting a penalty so late but it was a 100% correct call and you can't say Japan didn't deserve at least a point.

Australia defended really well but we were second best all night. Not much to get too excited about.

Good to see Vidosic on but he couldn't get into the game at all.

Results in the 2 remaining home games against lesser opposition should be enough to secure passage after this result.

[EdDog]

Despite my above post, I actually think we had the *better* opportunities. Not as many, but Kruse 1 on 1 and Holman's free header should have both been goals.

[bpowell454]

Bar a couple of moments our defense managed to keep Japan from taking shots in the box. Matt Mackay is gonna regret that handball, looked bad live speed and worse in slow-mo. Vidosic came on when Japan were hitting top gear and didn't really get a chance to get into the game. We were extremely lucky to go in front so I think we should be happy with a draw.

Harps was going on and on about how good bresciano and Holman are but bresciano was struggling to complete passes all night and Holman looked way out of fitness, walked most of the game, exerted a lot of energy throwing his hands in the air when players didn't pass to him.

[EdDog]

I agree about Breac but aside from Holman's fitness, he looked to be our best in the first half. Some of those through balls were first class.

[shinAUFC]

This game restored my interest in the roos

We actually held the ball at times, tommy oar and robbie kruse were not afraid to run at defenders and we were compact in defense.

The spirit and determination is what i expect every match from an australian team.

I wonder if the older players struggle to rise to the occasion unless its an incredibly big match.

Also when kruse was one on one with the keeper he would have been better served going down, replays show his trailing ankle was clipped just before taking his shot.

With kagawa and honda japan could easily be a top 5 team in the world, they are highly under rated outside of asia. This was a great result

[ganas]

i agree shin, since the '06 WC, it seems that the older players stuggle to rise to the occasion unless its an incredible big match. they has this complacency when its a lesser team and it really shows.

last nights game though was a breath of fresh air, like it was said before, for the first time i was excited and drawn to the game. previous games were a bore and frustrating, just like we were going through the paces.

i like the mix of players we are using now. oar and kruse should always be on the flank. still not 100% on timmy being up front and isolated even though he played that role to a tee. bresc played well but had some mistimes passes. i honestly though holman was our best player in the first half and beginning of the second but just ran out of steam due to lack of playing time. neil and the ogre didn't miss a beat.

all in all im quite happy with last night performance and i just hope the they use this game as motivation for the next 2 games. if they dont step up, we wont be going to the wc

[shinAUFC]

If we do make this WC id like to see us do what Germany last WC and play predominantly younger players and back them to do the job.

Lets face it at best we will make the WC but probably finish bottom of our group. So why not make it a productive WC by using it to push the next gen out there.

Though we need to make it first.

[Nash]

I agree with most sentiments - am happy with that performance. Was refreshing watching us actually playing football. Nice movement and pretty solid structure. Japan had some very great chances against us, but it's Japan, they're a quality side that should and would be creating those opportunities against basically any NT.

If we play that well in our next 2 games I think we have a good chance at winning them both. Although Jordan and Iraq wouldn't play as open flowing as last nights match you wouldn't think. It's going to take some work to break through their defences, especially Jordan.

I'm heading over to Melbourne for next Tuesday, and am finally excited about it!

[Stuckey]

Very surprised with the game. IMO that is probably as good as we could possibly play given the fitness of some players. Happy to see Kruse and Oar given a chance together. Bres was MOTM for me pure class in the midfield. Brosque played as well as he usually did but from a different position.
Neill is still a liability I would have rathered see Oga play with Thwaite.
What is with Australia and crossing? It seems like not one player is capable of delivering one, maybe playing Dario out wide could be an option as well know he can, but I can't complain too much as one of those lousy crosses got us our goal.

One more win, Oman lose their last game and we're off to Brazil! I'm excited but yet I still can't shake the feeling we're setting ourselves up for a massive de-pantsing. Tonight IMO was another gloss over the problems that still aren't fixed.

[EdDog]

I was very pleased with the players Holger had on the field. Which is something I don't think I've said for a long time.

Also - Lucas had an outstanding game at CB. If he can play like that every game he can start as long as he wants. It's just a pity he can't replicate that form at club level. It's as if club football is purely to keep him fit for the World Cup.

Actually, that's probably the case for a lot of our older players.

[Stuckey]

I was very pleased with the players Holger had on the field. Which is something I don't think I've said for a long time.

Also - Lucas had an outstanding game at CB. If he can play like that every game he can start as long as he wants. It's just a pity he can't replicate that form at club level. It's as if club football is purely to keep him fit for the World Cup.

Actually, that's probably the case for a lot of our older players.

Really? I saw him falling over everytime he was in a physical contest of any kind. He looks more then a yard or two off the pace, I honestly can't remember the last time I witnessed him hitting a target with one of his long balls. I would say this was one of his better games of late. But looking at his games of late that isn't something of great difficulty.

[EdDog]

I don't specifically recall those moments you mention. But I do remember some timely interceptions he made.

Perhaps he just exceeded my tremendously low expectations of him