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The Olyroos' Oliver Bozanic (right) is tackled UAE's Amer Abdulrahman (left) in the AFC Asian Qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics (AAP Image/James Elsby)
If Aurelio Vidmar and his Olyroos needed a reminder of just how difficult a job it will be to get to the London Olympics next year, then last night’s scoreless draw with the United Arab Emirates at Hindmarsh Stadium will surely have provided that.
With only the top team in a group also containing Iraq and Uzbekistan guaranteed qualification (second place will need to get through a repercharge round, followed by a play-off), it’s a precarious course, with little margin for error.
As the Matildas learnt recently in China, an early slip-up can prove very costly.
While a home draw on matchday one of six shouldn’t prove fatal, it’s undoubtedly a reminder that the group contains plenty of quality, and the Olyroos will need to pick up their game if they are to accumulate enough points to top it.
While Vidmar’s men struggled to find any rhythm last night, the reality is they were never allowed to play.
Rarely, if ever, has the passing and ball retention under Vidmar looked so sloppy.
The UAE, coming off an impressive second round victory over North Korea to qualify for this group phase, were never going to be easybeats, and that’s exactly how it panned out.
Set up impressively with a high line, they pressured the Olyroos up the pitch, never allowing the defenders to get comfortable on the ball.
Manager Mahdi Ali Hassan Redha had clearly done his homework, no doubt getting his hands on the videos of Australia’s wins over Yemen in the previous round.
Recognising that Vidmar’s side relies heavily on the fullback carrying the ball forward, he pressured them very high, never allowing Matthew Foschini and Aziz Behich time to carry the ball into the front half.
Behich, in particular, faced a torrid time dealing with the impressive Theyab Awana.
As a result, the front three of Marko Jesic, Jason Hoffman and James Brown rarely saw the ball, especially in the first period.
Instead it was the cultured UAE midfielder Amer Abdulrahman who was running the show. With the run of Ahmed Khalil through the middle, and the sharp feet of Awana on the right, the UAE had the three most dangerous players on the pitch.
Such was the pressure they placed on the Olyroos in the first half they forced skipper Oliver Bozanic into an error just before the break. Fortunately he was able to recover and atone for his errant back-pass with a well-timed challenge on Ali Mabkhout, just as he was about to fire the UAE into the lead.
The Olyroos were also fortunate to get a line-ball offside call which went against Khalil after he’d been played in by a delightful Abdulrahman ball in behind Sebastian Ryall.
Only when Bozanic delivered a set piece did the Olyroos look like threatening Ahmed Mahmoud’s goal in the first period.
While the second half was more promising from the Olyroos, featuring some penetrating runs out of midfield by Mitch Nichols, and a few more touches for Jason Hoffman, it was far from convincing.
Indeed, in the final minute, the UAE had two chances to pinch all three points, skipper Mohamed Fawzi dancing in from the right, only to have his left foot shot blocked, before the ever-dangerous Khalil raced into the box, only for Matt Jurman to deflect it just wide of Andrew Redmayne’s goal.
Vidmar later described the performance as a nervous one, the worst under his reign. Little doubt the pressure to win all three home games had some impact.
With both Japan and South Korea off to 2-0 home wins in their respective openers last night, the pressure now mounts on Vidmar and his men produce a result on the road, with Iraq next up in November.
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