- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Chile would have been expecting a smooth ride after taking a 2-0 lead within 14 minutes on Saturday morning.
But Tim Cahill’s header to salvage a goal and the Socceroos’ defiant second half performance to salvage a massive dose of pride made it a match to remember. Jean Beausejour’s late strike put the match beyond doubt, but Australia went down fighting until the death.
>> Live blog: Australia vs Chile in the 2014 FIFA World Cup
>> Spain vs Netherlands highlights
>> Full match report
1. Sanchez snaps Socceroos momentum
The first 10 minutes were positive as far as the Socceroos camp was concerned. They showed composure on the ball and were structurally sound. The intention would have been to remain that way and hold Chile for as long as possible. It never is that simple.
Ange Postecoglou would have been irate at the ease with which key man Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring. The Barcelona attacker had four gold jerseys within five metres of him but snuck his shot past the bodies of Matthew Spiranovic and Mat Ryan to open the scoring. It was a series of fortunate deflections that saw the ball fall to Sanchez and the Socceroos were stunned.
2. Post-goal reaction
The Socceroos were stunned, Chile were ruthless. They’d just taken a 1-0 lead with barely 11 minutes on the clock, and hadn’t really been threatened at the other end.
Common law dictates that you’re most vulnerable after you score. Au contraire. The South Americans could easily have put one foot on the ball and slowed the tempo down. Instead, they put the foot down just a little more, well aware of the potential to stamp their authority on the match.
Chile did just that, stealing back possession and breaking quickly before releasing to Jorge Valdivia who buried his effort in the top corner to make it 2-0. His task was made that much easier by a Socceroos defence still struggling to find their feet after the first goal. How open the game would’ve been had we gone into half-time at 1-1.
3. Cometh the hour…
Who else but Timmy? Mr. Reliable rose to the occasion once more.
It was part of the game plan. Chile knew that, yet they were still powerless to stop Australia’s greatest ever goalscorer from leaping over their shoulders to make waves on the scoreboard but, more importantly, deliver the confidence boost that a whole country needed.
The warning signs were there. Matthew Leckie and Tommy Oar had each moved into dangerous positions on the wings earlier in the match, only to let themselves down with the final delivery.
Not this time.
Franjic delivered a pinpoint ball into the centre of the box to make Chile pay for failing to give enough attention to Cahill. The striker’s role in the match leading up to that point was about controlling and distributing the play up front, but world-class players step up when it matters.
4. Chile drop the tempo
Chile faded, Australia were reinvigorated after the half time break.
It was clear from the outset that the Socceroos were chasing the game and had no intention of going down 2-1. It was all guns blazing, the wide men hugging the touchline. It was perhaps a risky tactic, with the obvious caveat that Chile would be open to a counter attack.
But Franjic/McGowan and Davidson gallivanted forward with caution and rarely left the backline exposed. There were a number of spine-tingling efforts in front of goal. Bravo’s fine diving save from Bresciano’s half volley, Cahill’s disallowed strike.
The second stanza undoubtedly belonged to the Socceroos. They refused to lie down and have their bellies scratched, that’s not the Australian way.
5. Matthew Leckie
Pick a moment, any moment.
This was arguably the winger’s best game in green (gold) and gold. It took 20 minutes for him to settle into the match, but Leckie never looked back. He so often gets credited for his pace, but it was his close control and accuracy that made him a clear standout.
The work in the lead-up to the Cahill goal, the marauding run from box to box, the 65th minute header that flew just over, the cuts inside the centre of the park, darting through Chile’s defenders. That cross for the would-be Cahill goal, but for the offside flag.
Leckie had intelligence and poise beyond his years. If we didn’t yet know, he is the future and will undoubtedly be key if the Socceroos if the Socceroos are to snare a point or two from the remaining games.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.