The hastily assembled A-League Socceroos gelled enough to pinch a 0-0 draw against Indonesia in Jakarta on Wednesday night and start Australia’s Asian Cup campaign on a positive note.
In an arm wrestle with few clear chances played on a difficult pitch, an Australian team featuring seven debutants battled manfully to take a point from their first Group B qualifier.
The squad had little preparation beforehand, and also were without coach Pim Verbeek on the sidelines as he serves a touchline suspension hanging over from South Korea’s 2007 Asian Cup campaign.
Despite being thrown together, the Socceroos looked solid defensively, but were disjointed and lacked cohesion in the final third – though they weren’t helped by a stark mix of grass lengths on the Gelora Bung Karno pitch.
Indonesia had perhaps the two best chances of the match, while Australia put the ball in the back of the net in the second half only to have the goal ruled offside.
The home side, ranked 144 in the world – 115 places below the Socceroos – gave the Australians a huge fright in the 35th minute when striker Talaohu Musafri shot just wide after the Socceroos lost possession in midfield.
Then striker Budi Sudarsono found himself in a great position on 62 minutes, but his close range header from a Musafri cross lacked power and failed to test thankful Socceroos keeper Eugene Galekovic.
Socceroos striker Archie Thompson nearly conjured a winner three minutes later – his long-range shot spilled by keeper Markus Horison and just falling short of substitute Matt Simon’s despairing boot.
Adelaide United midfielder Paul Reid went close in the 69th minute, bending a free-kick just wide of the post, before Central Coast’s Simon headed home a cross 14 minutes from time which was correctly ruled offside.
In a four-team group comprising the Socceroos, Indonesia, Kuwait and Oman, the top two sides qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup finals in Qatar.
The Socceroos will bring back their European-based stars for their next match – a World Cup qualifier against Japan in Yokohama on February 11.
Their next Asian Cup qualifier is against Kuwait in Canberra on March 5, when Australia are again likely to field an all-A-League outfit.
AAP gh/tb
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