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Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek maintained he still had faith in his A-League players despite their shock 1-0 loss to Kuwait in last night’s Asian Cup qualifier at Canberra Stadium.
The result left Australia at the bottom of their qualifying group after two matches, and served as a reminder that qualifying for the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar will be anything but a formality.
Although Verbeek’s opinion of the A-League has been questioned recently, the coach said prior to the match he had faith in the domestic players to get the job done in Canberra.
And despite the loss, he said he knew they could do much better in future matches.
“I think our players can play much better than the showed tonight,” Verbeek said.
“They showed me on the training sessions, the showed me during the A-League they are much better.”
Verbeek did not completely rule out calling in European reinforcements when Australia’s Asian Cup qualifying continues against Oman on November 14, a FIFA-sanctioned date, but indicated he would continue to trust his domestic players.
Australia fell behind to a 37th-minute goal by Kuwaiti defender Mesaed Alenzi and never recovered in front of 20,032 fans, the biggest ever soccer crowd in the capital.
“The field was fantastic, the atmosphere fantastic and you want to win the game but we have to be honest also and win didn’t deserve to win this game,” Verbeek said.
“Second half we played too much with our hearts and not with our head any more.”
Australia’s defence looked suspect, the midfield turned over the ball too much and they failed to make the most of their chances.
Their best chance to score came in 23rd minute when Melbourne grand final-winning pair Tom Pondeljak and Archie Thompson both blew golden opportunities.
Pondeljak scuffed a close range shot after a Kuwaiti error and Thompson, criticised by coach Verbeek for his “hopeless” performance in January’s 0-0 draw in Indonesia, hit the bar with an open goal from a tight angle.
Verbeek and captain Craig Moore singled out Pondeljak, the Victory’s grand final hero, as the only Australia player who was not below his best.
Although there had been several nervous moments in the first half, the Socceroos had been looking gradually more threatening until the goal came against the run of play.
Alenzi was left unmarked inside the box and nodded home a soft goal past Eugene Galekovic, sending the visitors into joyous celebrations.
Verbeek made his first attacking move in the 62nd minute by bringing on Queensland youngster Mitch Nichols.
He also introduced Adelaide pair Fabien Barbiero and Robert Cornthwaite in the second half but Australia could not break the deadlock.
Central Coast striker Matt Simon, handed his first start, looked the most dangerous at times while 19-year-old Adelaide defender Daniel Mullen didn’t have the happiest of nights on debut.
There were several late chances but Kuwait held on to give new coach Goran Tufegdzic a win in his first game in charge.
“It was a very good result and a big win for our team and because it’s a young team get more motivation for the next match,” Tufegdzic said.
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March 6th 2009 @ 10:41am
Brickowski said | March 6th 2009 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Disgraceful effort last night, absolutely no effort or creativeness in midfield. Pondeljak, Reid & McKay are not international level players and should not be lumped together in any national team ever again.
Some players at club level are made better by the players around them (Pondeljak, Celeski, McKay, A. Thompson, Reid etc) and when forced to do the creating themselves are found sorely wanting. Some players at club level have been stifled by those around them (Brosque is the best example I can think of from the seaon just finished), yet Pim chose players that have been in recent ‘form’ for their clubs.
If there is to be another A-League Roos team for an ACQ I would prefer to see Brosque playing Pondeljak’s role with a better striker than Thompson playing up front, with a better distributing holding midfielder (singular, we don’t need 2 playing that role).
I’m hoping Vargas’ effort last night was an aberration, I really thought he and Moore anchoring the defence would be a lot stronger than what they were last night.
March 6th 2009 @ 12:43pm
Joe FC said | March 6th 2009 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
As someone who was there with my two youngest children I enjoyed the night if not the result. I saw good & not so good football played by both teams. It’s unrealistic to think that in an Asian cup qualification campaign we would not lose a match. Having said that, after last night, I do think Pim will need to bring in some Euro based players to ensure qualification.
March 6th 2009 @ 1:48pm
Hammer said | March 6th 2009 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
this result has been in the wind for awhile .. but what was a big surprise what the differnce in skill between the 2 teams – if you didn’t know who was who then you’d certainly be saying the guys in blue were the ones who play professionally and the blokes in gold were the part timers …
and what gives with the shirt numbering ?? … no-one should want out with 111 on thier back FFS …
March 6th 2009 @ 2:04pm
Pippinu said | March 6th 2009 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
Hammer
When we recall how poorly our best team played against the likes of Oman and Iraq in the Asian Cup, we should not be surprised by this result at all – the Gulf nations are not mugs, and their local comps are at least the standard of the A-League. There football market is distorted by petro dollars, but nevertheless players of a decent quality end up in this part of the world, players we would love to have in the A-League.
We all wanted our NT to perform better (it really was atrocious) – but in terms of the difference in technique (at the risk of sounding like Fos), I don’t think there were any real surprises there.
March 6th 2009 @ 2:06pm
Pippinu said | March 6th 2009 @ 2:06pm | Report comment
This is a funny view – but if Australia were to miss out on the Asian Cup qualification – that would be a very good thing for the confederation as a whole.
If we are to miss out on anything, better to miss out on the Asian Cup than the World Cup.
March 6th 2009 @ 7:43pm
midfield general said | March 6th 2009 @ 7:43pm | Report comment
I agree with pippinu – this defeat might be a blessing in disguise, even if we miss out on Asian Cup qualification. Use the rest of qualification campaign to develop younger players who might push for a place in 2010 finals or for the next world cup cycle: Burns, Djite, Ruka, Zullo, Celeski, Mullen, Jamieson etc. Do away with Vargas, Reid, both Thompsons, Allsop, Heffernan. These guys are have had their chances or they won’t get any better.
I can’t help thinking there is a problem with coaching , even allowing for lack of time. I remember when Guus took over Socceroos started to look like a different side. If lack of time is the problem, FFA needs to make time for national teams over club comps – can’t see why they can’t organize camps, say once a months for A league players, or start organizing more friendly games both in Asia and Europe, I don’t recall any games organized apart from the Dutch game. Wake up FFA, success of the code depends on the fortunes of the national team.
March 6th 2009 @ 9:54pm
FC Inter said | March 6th 2009 @ 9:54pm | Report comment
I was at the game too and although the result didnt go our way, Australia had plenty of possession and should have scored.
The Kuwaiti number 10 who came on during the second half and hit the post was technically brilliant and their number 17 was awesome too.
There was plenty of action in the game and although from a purists view the lack of skill shown by the aussies was frustrating.
As for the crowd, it was a good atmosphere and the crowd really got stuck into the kuwaiti players who felt the need to time waste or dive.
as for the future, If Pim insists on using the a-league players then they have to give them more friendly games to hone their skills.
March 6th 2009 @ 10:33pm
jimbo said | March 6th 2009 @ 10:33pm | Report comment
Calexico,
apart from the disappointing result we didn’t put on a show for the fans.
I noticed a lot of the crowd had wallabies and kangaroos jerseys and came along to experience the atmosphere and give another football code a try.
It was a good crowd, in fact a record football crowd for Canberra, but unfortunately a lot of the cross coders mightn’t come back for the next one or the A-League team (if Canberra gets one).
Doesn’t help either that the national coach treats the A-League and its players like shit.
March 6th 2009 @ 10:55pm
Mick said | March 6th 2009 @ 10:55pm | Report comment
This is the reason Australia is playing in Asa to get the harder games that you do not get in Oceania although with no practice games for the A-league based sideit was to be expected whereas Kuwait had 2 practice games in a 9 or 10 day training camp.
March 7th 2009 @ 8:42am
Luke W said | March 7th 2009 @ 8:42am | Report comment
Poor team choices. Vargas, Thompson, Reid, Simon, Pondeljak and Cornthwaite should never have been in the squad let alone a Socceroos jersey. Vargas and Cornthwaite are both overrated defenders who benefit from their centreback partners, holding midfielders and goalkeepers. Thompson is a fantastic A-League player, but surely people must realise by now he is nowhere near that level at the international arena. He doesn’t receive the space or through balls that he does in the A-League, and he is dominated for well organised, physical defences. Paul Reid is a good holding midfielder, but I think Celeski and even Musialik were better throughout the season and have a brighter international career ahead of them. Pondeljak is too old. He never was an exceptional player, and benefited a lot this season from the calibre of players around him. Cornflake should be playing park football in Adelaide. Yes, he is tall and physical, but he is often caught out of position and appears immobile against quicker forwards.