Young excellence, promotion battles, and a happy farewell: The Australian team of the week from players around the globe
Even though St.Pauli ultimately lost a high-scoring affair, Jackson Irvine was a standout, as well as scoring a late goal.
The Socceroos’ bid for direct World Cup qualification has been boosted by Asian rivals Japan being held to a 1-1 draw against Iraq in Tehran.
Group B leaders Japan’s failure to take full points on Tuesday has them on 17 points, with Australia one point behind Samurai Blue in third.
Saudi Arabia sit in second spot, equal with the Socceroos on points but with a superior goal difference despite Australia’s 3-2 win in Adelaide last week.
Japan remains in pole position to be the first of two group B teams to automatically qualify for Russia 2018 with a goal difference of plus-nine, while the Saudis sit plus-seven and the Socceroos plus-six with all teams having played eight matches.
Australia will meet Japan on August 31 before wrapping up its direct qualification campaign against Thailand a week later.
Japan and Saudi Arabia, who each have five wins to Australia’s four, will clash on September 5 after the Green Falcons’ qualifier against the United Arab Emirates on August 31.
On Tuesday, Japan’s Yuya Osaka scored a header early in the match in Tehran, where Iraq plays its home games for security reasons.
But Mahdi Kamel equalised in the second half for the already-eliminated Iraqis.
Also in group B, the UAE scored an injury-time goal to gain a 1-1 draw against Thailand.
The result against the last-placed Thais effectively ends the UAE’s campaign to make their first World Cup since 1990.
In group A, South Korea has work to do to reach a ninth successive World Cup after losing to Qatar 3-2 in Doha.
South Korea stays second in the group to Iran, who became the first and only Asian team so far to qualify for Russia.
The Koreans are one point above third-place Uzbekistan and travel to Tashkent for the final game in September.
Fourth-placed Syria drew 2-2 with China in the Malaysian city of Melaka.
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Even though St.Pauli ultimately lost a high-scoring affair, Jackson Irvine was a standout, as well as scoring a late goal.
What if we celebrated all of the achievements big and small, and weeded out those hell-bent on bringing down a game that is doing a hell of a lot right?
A good performance from Michael Ruhs, scoring twice to beat Macarthur and doubling his season goal tally in the process.
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Mathew Ryan's tenure at AZ Alkmaar appears to be over, as the Eredivisie side are seemingly moving on from the 93-time Socceroo. The decision…
One down 49 to go. Socceroos striker Kusini Yengi raised some eyebrows this week when he declared himself to be the talisman striker the…