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Pim Verbeek has been criticised continually by all and sundry regarding his teams’ performances as they marched towards South Africa. Too negative, too defensive, too boring.
So it was interesting to see Australia playing perhaps it’s most attacking and stylish football in the 20 minutes in Oman before Rhys Williams was sent off and the game inevitably changed.
It made me think, do we need Josh Kennedy? But that’s for another day.
Earlier in the day I hooked up to Setanta with the hope of seeing New Zealand overcome Bahrain to qualify for the World Cup. They did and the atmosphere, the commitment and open-ness of both teams made it one of the great moments in sport, especially for New Zealand fans.
And three strikers.
Ricky Herbert employed three direct strikers who loved to play down the middle, and in Celtic’s Chris Killen and Plymouth Argyle’s Sean Fallon he had two who love to get under the highest of high balls. And they had to.
I’ve never seen a ball lumped so high, so often in a game for years, but the crowd seemed to appreciate it, cheering every time it went high and into the mixer.
Style?
New Zealand had none, bar moments of football class from Leo Bertos, who, when he faded, the style went with it.
Full-back Ben Sigmund can lump it longer than his left-sided counterpart Tony Lochead, certainly more accurately. Ryan Nelson is more consistent at the lump than Ivan Vicelich.
He should, he plays in England.
It was a fanatastic game, despite, or maybe because of, the lumping.
Bahrain couldn’t match it, and lost a goal to a corner. Bahrain did expose Tony Lochead time and time again and eventually he conceded a penalty.
The collective Kiwi breath was held and New Zealand’s very own Mark Scharzwer, Mark Paston, was born. Paston saved it.
Tension remained high but the game was won. Australia will be happy to draw the Kiwi’s if the draw allows.
Perhaps more importantly, despite the criticisms of Verbeek, we have come so far. We may not be world beaters, but lumping it to three big blokes is NEVER used by Australia football, Socceroos, or A-League coaches anymore.
It was a great win for New Zealand, for Australian A-League fans, and hopefully it can only be good for the game in New Zealand.
But surely we couldn’t lose to New Zealand in South Africa, could we?
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