Australia have enjoyed the perfect preparation for this week’s World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan, with a 2-1 victory over soccer’s fourth-ranked team, the Netherlands.
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Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek was delighted with the performance of his side – ranked 35 places lower than the Dutch – on their home turf in Eindhoven but acknowledged it would mean little if Australia falters in Tashkent (early Thursday AEST).
“We’re very pleased with the result, but I’m more pleased with the organisation, the way they played, especially in the first half,” Verbeek said.
“It’s not about the result today because it’s all about the result on Wednesday.
“For us it was the perfect warm-up match.
“I saw good things, I saw things we have to improve. We still have four days.”
A trademark header in the 76th minute by towering striker Josh Kennedy sealed victory for Australia after the Socceroos had equalised just before the interval with a Harry Kewell penalty.
The home team went ahead through Klaas Jan Huntelaar in the sixth minute.
Captain Lucas Neill described the win as fantastic but urged his team not to get carried away, particularly before facing an Uzbekistan side smarting from a 3-0 defeat today at the hands of Qatar in another Asia group qualifier for the 2010 World Cup.
“It’s never easy to come away to the fourth-best team in the world and win, so it’s a great credit to the boys,” Neill told AAP.
“It’s a great boost but we’ve got to remain very level-headed because this was only a friendly game … our feet are well and truly on the ground, we’ll make sure of that.
“The coach and I have already stressed that, as good as the win was, it will count for nothing on Wednesday, so we’ll have to start again and put in a similar kind of performance.”
The Dutch team went into the match having only lost on home soil three times in the past decade, the last occasion being in 2004.
Earlier today, Eindhoven’s market square was awash in a sea of orange-clad fans and they completely swamped a small band of Australian supporters as they whipped Philips Stadium into party mode.
It wasn’t long before the home crowd had something to celebrate on the pitch.
With just over five minutes played, Huntelaar latched onto a perfectly weighted cross by Liverpool’s Ryan Babel and drilled his left-footed shot past diving Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
But the joy of the Oranje fans turned to consternation when, on the stroke of half-time, Dutch custodian Maarten Stekelenburg was shown a red card after bringing Kennedy down in the box.
That forced Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk into an immediate substitution, bringing in replacement keeper Henk Timmer for Huntelaar.
But Kewell beat Timmer with the penalty and the teams went to the interval at 1-1.
Verbeek rested Kewell for the second half.
On the hour mark, Schwarzer saved a free kick by Rafael van der Vaart from just outside the box.
Kennedy broke the deadlock after a strong cross from Luke Wilkshire allowed him to head comfortably past Timmer.
Kennedy said: “It’s always good to score a goal and I suppose it’s a bit sweeter to score the winner.
“Wednesday is our important game. If we can go there and get a win, then I guess it would be a good week for Australian soccer.”
Schwarzer made another save, denying Netherlands substitute Dirk Kuyt the chance to draw level from close range in injury time.
Verbeek later decided not to take midfielder Vincenzo Grella to Tashkent, saying he was not match ready and would not benefit from the long flights.
Grella injured his calf muscle in training in Eindhoven and is returning to his English Premier League club, Blackburn, for treatment.
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