A freakish bicycle kick effort and a textbook header from talisman Tim Cahill saved the Socceroos’ blushes in Brisbane and sent them into the Asian Cup semi-finals.
Cahill, Australia’s highest-ever goal-scorer, added another peach to this collection with a breath-taking strike just after half-time against China.
With the scores locked at 0-0, Cahill jumped up to collect the ball with his right and send it past Chinese keeper Wang Dalei into the left corner.
Just 17 minutes later he did it again with one of his trademark, routine, done-a-million-times headers. 2-0 Australia and goodnight China.
With the moths circling and the rain tumbling down, conditions had been very different compared to the Socceroos’ last match in Brisbane.
Ange Postecoglou seven changes from the Korea game, with Cahill, Matthew Leckie, Robbie Kruse and a fit-again Mile Jedinak returning. Jason Davidson replaced Aziz Behich at left back, while Alex Wilkinson was in for the suspended Matt Spiranovic.
The biggest move was the starting selection of Mark Bresciano, instead of James Troisi, in the three-man midfield.
With amount of changes perhaps it was no surprise that Australia started slowly. With a big and very loud set of supporters behind them, China dominated early proceedings.
Wu Lei managed to get in behind the Socceroos’ defence on numerous times as Team Dragon used their pace and speed on their counter well.
Australia struggled to hold on to the ball in a sluggish opening. An intervention from Wilkinson on 13 minutes, after a Jedinak error, was crucial. Two minutes later the skipper coughed up the ball again, releasing Lei who had a shot on goal. A minute after that and Jediank had a yellow for pulling back Ren Hang.
China had a great opportunity on 20 minutes but the shot from the cutback was just wide. The visitors’ game plan was working to a tee.
After 20 minutes the Socceroos began to get into the match more. Neat passing led to corner and soon after, from a free kick, Jedinak’s header was pushed away expertly by Wang Dalei.
Trent Sainsbury was called into action soon after to kill off a Chinese chance and then a fantastic run from Leckie saw his shot palmed away by Wang.
The Socceroos were eventually settling after some nervy moments. As half-time approached the stats showed the Socceroos had completed 266 to 72 total passes, but the Chinese defence had been well-structured and disciplined. It was relatively even, with Australia edging the half in clear-cut chances.
Both Jedinak and Bresciano looked off the pace, while Davidson’s touch was clumsy at times.
Then it was Cahill’s turn. Just three minutes into the second half and the New York Red Bull rescued Australia as he has done time and time and time and time and (you get the picture) time again in his amazing 11-year Socceroo career.
The goal helped finally kill all off the Aussies’ nerves and they surged forward, hunting for a second. Leckie won a free kick just outside the Chinese box on 53 minutes and soon after Kruse went on a jinking run.
The Chinese were on the back foot but they wouldn’t lie down. On 58 minutes they forced a good save out of a diving Mat Ryan. A minute later and Bresciano should have made it 2-0 but his shot was too high. On came Troisi for the veteran.
The Socceroos kept attacking and Wang Dalei stopped Cahill recording his second goal of the night, for that moment at least, with another tidy save. Team Dragon was just holding on.
But the former Premier League star would not be denied. On 64 minutes he rose with that majestic leap of his and powered a bullet header home. At 2-0 the Socceroos were flying and one game away from the Asian Cup final.
Cahill was auditioning for his own statue at Suncorp alongside Wally ‘The King’ Lewis. He has now scored 41 goals in 81 games for Australia, a fantastic goal-to-game ratio compared with any other player in the world.
With 22 minutes to go Nathan Burns replaced Leckie, with Postecoglou pushing for a third. China upped their game but Ryan was proving to be impenetrable in the Australian box.
The game really started to open up now, with attacking raids down both ends. But the Chinese looked just as likely to concede a third as to pull one back.
Massimo Luongo was there to make a brilliant diving tackle and Ryan would not be beaten. Mark Milligan replaced Cahill with 10 minutes left, the forward going off to a huge ovation.
Wang Dalei was there again to thwart another Socceroo shot. On 88 minutes he dived low to push away Milligan’s drive. But Team Dragon just couldn’t find a way back into the game.
Timmy ‘Terrific’ Cahill was Australia’s hero yet again and the Socceroos now head to Newcastle on the 27th for a likely semi-final match up with old foes Japan. That will be one hell of a game.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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