Neill confident of 2014 World Cup berth
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Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill confidently predicted Australia would book a place in Brazil at the 2014 World Cup after being buoyed by their spirited 1-1 draw with Japan.
The 10-man Socceroos came from 1-0 down against the in-form Asian rivals on Tuesday night to snare a valuable group B point in their World Cup qualifier at Suncorp Stadium.
Luke Wilkshire slammed home the equaliser from the penalty spot in the 70th minute – shortly after the Japanese celebrated as though they’d already earned their trip to Rio when stand-out defender Yuzo Kurihara put them ahead.
Neill admitted Australia, who made a rushed trip back from Oman on Sunday, would have been happy with the one point before the match, and even more so when Mark Milligan was controversially sent off in the 55th minute.
A replacement for injured playmaker Mark Bresciano (hip), Milligan picked up a soft yellow in the first half before receiving a highly dubious second one after attempting to block a cross into the box and hardly brushing Atsuto Uchida.
Six years ago to the day that Australia came from behind to beat the Blue Samurai 3-1 at the 2006 World Cup, the Socceroos almost broke Japanese hearts again but Sasa Ognenovski’s 77th-minute shot rebounded off the cross-bar.
“We would have taken the draw before the game, it’s been a tough two weeks with a lot of travel,” said Neill, whose team has two points from two matches.
“The way things went with the red card we had to dig in and then we conceded an unfortunate goal, but as always a bit of Aussie spirit came into play and the crowd got behind us.
“We could have gone on to win it. And we would have stolen it so we’ll take the draw.
Neill lauded the No.23 world ranked Japanese outfit, well ahead on the group B table with seven points, as the best they’ve assembled and expected the Blue Samurai would continue to make short work of rivals Jordan, Oman and Iraq.
“If Japan keep beating their opposition and we beat our’s then we’ll be on our way to Brazil,” he said.
“We showed what we were all about and I’m sure we’ll go on and win plenty of games and make sure when we come home we don’t lose.
“We’ll be there.”
Coach Holger Osieck described Australia’s display as superb and praised his team’s character for overcoming the losses of Bresciano then Milligan.
“What they showed today with one man down is hard to describe,” he said.
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (3) | Page 1 of Comments
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June 14th 2012 @ 2:29pm
Qantas supports Australian Football said | June 14th 2012 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
Yes I agree with Lucas that we will go to the World Cup as second best team in Asia… But let’s look at it another way—I want to go to Brazil as first in our group and best team in Asia. We need to keep the pressure up on Japan and Sth Korea.
June 14th 2012 @ 4:59pm
pete4 said | June 14th 2012 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
Securing a top 2 finish is the most important thing I understand from Holger’s point of view but it’s becoming almost as important now we blood some Olyroos along the way to 2014…
June 15th 2012 @ 10:20am
whiskeymac said | June 15th 2012 @ 10:20am | Report comment
without players really shaking the status quo its always going to be a difficult position for the coach with respect to qualifying for the big one (surely the biggest immediate goal) with giving newbies a chance (long term planning) on the notion they may be upto it in 2 years plus. glad its someone else making the decisions with that. Hopefully a few youngsters will have stellar seasons between now and the world cup to force their way into reckoning. For example Leckie, Burns N, Tombides (if over health issues) Bulut (if heads screwed on) Gamiero, Ryan Williams, Skapetis, McGrath, Fletcher are all strikers attached to clubs with potential or have been looked at once or twice. Good enough to dislodge the incumbents though? I dont know much if naything about most of the names i trolled off the aussies overseas sites but Kennedy (top J League scorer) Cahill (Everton) etc need to be justifiably replaced not just because they can be by a coach. After all , how good was Cahill against Japan? =)