If the past week has taught Australia anything, it’s that reaching the 2018 World Cup won’t be easy.
But the Socceroos do have control of their own destiny following Tuesday’s crucial 2-0 win over the United Arab Emirates.
Jackson Irvine and Mathew Leckie headed home from corners to earn the three points at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium and end a run of four successive draws.
Irvine’s early strike opened the scoring, before Leckie broke the tension 12 minutes from time with his second goal in a week following his effort in the 1-1 draw with Iraq on Thursday.
Two headers from two corners brought two goals and three points.
And as defender Trent Sainsbury wrote on Twitter, “one point proven”.
Ange Postecoglou’s decision to introduce a radical new 3-2-4-1 formation for the two crunch qualifiers had been questioned, but four points from the two games keeps Australia on track to reach the Russian tournament.
Postecoglou said he was proud of the way his players had embraced the new system, calling the performance “strong” and “bright”.
“We find when we challenge them they respond. They did again tonight,” he said.
There were moments against Iraq and UAE when the Socceroos appeared rattled by their lesser-ranked opponents.
Iraq were close to running over the top of Australia, while the silky skills of Omar Abdulrahman posed questions for the Socceroos’ back three.
However, Postecoglou played down any concerns about his defence.
“If someone has got a system out there that stops oppositions from doing anything, it’s 11 against nothing,” he said.
“It’s a game of football. We’ve got to try and score goals which we did … (and) the opposition are going to create opportunities.
“If people want the perfect system it’s probably their hot water system at home but it ain’t a football system.”
While Australia are unbeaten in their group, the drawn results have shuffled them behind Japan and Saudi Arabia with just two automatic qualification places up for grabs.
Both Saudi Arabia and Japan were winners in their matches, with the Saudis claiming a tight 1-0 victory over Iraq and the Blue Samurai crushing Thailand 4-0.
It keeps the two pacesetters three points clear of the Socceroos but both sides have to face Australia next before meeting in their final group match.
That leaves the Socceroos, who close out qualifying at home to Thailand, in control of their own fate.
Tuesday’s win lifted Australia four points clear of UAE, meaning two wins will assure them of third place and a play-off position.
Postecoglou hailed Irvine following his goalscoring home debut.
“He’s always a threat. He’s had a really good start to his international career but there’s plenty more there and I was pleased he got a goal,” he said.
“I thought he and Jimmy Troisi defensively did a really good job for us.
“In the second half we totally overtook them and probably should have scored a couple more.”
Cool and Cold
Guest
Socceroos stay on track for World Cup in Russia? Japanese Samurai Blues can claim they are on track for World Cup in Russia also. So are the team members of Saudi Arabia. What exactly is "on track"? Why haven't Ange mentioned "on track" after drawing the Iraq team? What exactly is "on track"? Is it based solely on mathematical possibility? Does "on track" mean "confidence"?
Cool and Cold
Guest
Why UAE's coach resigns? Why Melbourne City's coach resigned months ago? How UAE won Japan in last September? Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3JYEDWvVmk (★ JAPAN 1-2 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ★ 2018 ) Had Japanese players been clumsy in that match losing to UAE? To me, I just wonder why 3 Japanese players cannot mark a single UAE player? Even Hingert alone can do it. In the video above, this UAE player fell 2 times before the referee blew the whistle to give a penalty to UAE. Actually, we can see that the referee was very concentrated to watch what happened. In youtube, one can choose speed to play. In that match Japanese players made a silly mistake to lose to UAE. Do you expect Japanese players making mistakes sometimes or always. Can they improve from a silly mistake? Why the Japanese team stands high on top of the result table? Another view to assess this UAE team is to watch its latest match against Socceroos in Sydney days ago. How many chances they have made? Apart from shots, did they do well in that match?
FootOverHand
Guest
Agree
Newcastle
Guest
I like your optimism.
j binnie
Guest
Bes - Tried to add a piece but missed the "call" The benefits I foresee happening in the team I mention. Balance at the back, with BOTH wing-backs knowing they have to do defensive work as well as supplying drive and pace out wide. With this extra drive added to the mobility of Troisi and Irvine,plus the placing of two moblle target men leading the line up front, .Mooy would be totally surrounded by potential targets for his undoubted passing skills. Cheers jb.
Nemesis
Guest
I don't think Saudi Arabia will just walk over their neighbours UAE in Abu Dhabi, or wherever they play. In fact, having watched both teams playing Australia, UAE impressed me more. But, maybe, Saudis have been stronger in the other matches when I haven't watched. UAE beat Japan in Saitama, so we know UAE are no easy beats. UAE plays: Thailand (away), Saudi (Home), Iraq (away) I'm not sure why the UAE coach resigned. I honestly think UAE will finish above Saudi Arabia in 3rd spot.
j binnie
Guest
Bes - glad to note that your opinion will be registered in the Boardrooms of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace to name a few. I am sure they will immediately ,if not sooner, upgrade their scouting system to include a few Antipodean agents.!!! Now to get serious for a moment. What I have been discussing with others is where I think this present team can be improved bearing in mind they are trying out a "new" system. To do that you have to use the players involved for they have been picked by the national coach to do a job and I am quite sure he is not going to change his squad based on your,or my, opinion,therefore I have stuck with players already chosen. To play with a back three I feel a team made up by the available players should read like Ryan: Sainsbury, Jedinak, & Wright :,Grant,Troisi, Mooy, Irvine and Smith; Juric and Leckie. Now in naming that team I have slightly altered positions but in the main have used the same players that played the other night,(Grant excepted) which one has to assume the coach thought were his 11 "best" players available. I too have opinions,is Wilkinson a better centre -back than Wright?, who will replace Milligan? I think Mooy, but it could be Luongo,so there could be changes in personnel but IMO ,if you want to play a 3-5-2 formation you have to fit the players into the system. Hope this clarifies my thoughts. Cheers jb.
Fadida
Guest
We could remain unbeaten and yet fail to qualify. Would that be laudable then
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
It's going to be tough as it may come down to who performs best against Japan - us in Saitama or Saudi in Riyadh.
Cameron
Roar Guru
I have every bit of confidence we can.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Hi Crew, The Japanese name, in Japanese, in Romaji (Roman characters), is "Samurai Blue"; spelt just like that. They chose the English term "Blue" for their side coupled with the Japanese "Samurai". When the term is written in Japanese script the entire noun is written in Katakana, which is the script used for foreign words. If you read the script in Katakana, you pronounce it "Samurai Blue". If you wrote "Samurai Ao" in Kanji (the Chinese characters) people in Japan would be thinking you were referring to an actual Samurai whose name was "Ao" (blue - well, blue-green to be exact). They certainly wouldn't be seeking a football team. Hence "Samurai Blue" is not a translation, it is the proper noun as written in Japan, which is why the same noun is used elsewhere. Hence all the angst about the Blue Samurai, who may or may not be an interesting character from feudal Japan but sure as sushi isn't involved in football.
Lionheart
Guest
Nemesis, I can only presume that they think Samurai Blue in any other wording is just too hard for us simple folk. But names otherwise, don't translate. At least not in my (formal) studies. Some funny things happen in colloquial use though, and languages are full of exceptions.
Realfootball
Guest
Very, very qualified optimism, Bes. I'm far from certain, but think that AP hasn't made the best use of resources. Any coach that selects Jedinak has a serious problem in his perception of his team. Agree in regard to his breathtaking arrogance. What we are seeing now, sadly, is the emperor without clothes.
Nemesis
Guest
Well, they wouldn't use "Green & Gold Army" in France. They'd use French words. Just like Samurai Blue are English words (well 'blue' is English, but 'Samurai' would be an English translation of a Japanese word and that Japanese word wouldn't be written "Samurai" because the Japanese alphabet characters are different) I presume the Japanese National Team has a name in the Japanese Language & they don't call themselves "Samurai Blue" (as in spelling the name using English alphabet characters) in Japan?
BES
Guest
Ange - to his credit - recognised that he was out of his depth when he tried to take his 1st system into Asia with Brisbane. He knew he could go no further so moved on to a new challenge to pick more low hanging fruit with MV - where once again it did not take too long for him to run out of ideas - for the 3rd time running, he is floundering now with the National team. His "self-belief" has long ago moulded into astonishing arrogance, where he genuinely believes everything he says at the end of any particular game is now ultimate truth - despite at least 50% of any comment directly contradicting his previous declarations of absolute truth. Again in his defence - unlike Reals' optimism - it would indeed appear we both dont have the coach nor the players, or perhaps we are just not seeing the right players be selected because I am not seeing individual players in this current line up that belong in a World Cup - with the possible exception of Ryan & Sainsbury
Lionheart
Guest
bit slow, and tiring he's too old now
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
Interesting strategy Mid, your formation has one player short. Nope, ain't going to work.
Lionheart
Guest
no. if it's a name it would be 'green and gold army' just as Paris is Paris and David is David names don't translate.
BES
Guest
"Would this work with Mooy, Luongo, Rogic and Jedi all in the lineup and Milligan out?" Nope - nothing that wouldn't work better with anyone who can lace on a pair of boots instead of Jedi.
Realfootball
Guest
I honestly thought the only positive last night was the scoreline. I will be very surprised if we finish in the top 2. I will be even more surprised if we progress to Russia via a playoff. I'm not convinced that we don't have the players. However, I am convinced that Ange P, for whatever reason, is some distance from making the best of his limited resources. Frankly, I think he's out of his depth. Will power has not proven to be enough, and he doesn't have a plan B. His self belief is phenomenal, but I wonder if it is really still intact. From his body language and interviews, my perception is that he is struggling, and his my way or the highway mantra is sounding increasingly hollow. I shudder to think what a top grade international attack would do to this back three.