Australia vs China Asian Cup quarterfinal in Brisbane

TIM Cahill scored twice in Australia’s quarterfinal win against China but it was his epic opener which will never be forgotten.

The Socceroos in training this week.

FOLLOW the live coverage of Australia’s Asian Cup quarterfinal against China.

Score: Australia 2 (Cahill 48m, 65m) China 0

LIVE MATCH CENTRE: VIDEO, PLAY-BY-PLAY, STATS AND LINE-UPS

Scroll to the bottom of the page for blow-by-blow coverage.

11.20pm — CAHILL QUITE SIMPLY A FREAKSHOW

How does he get the ball from that spot into the back of the net?

TIM Cahill added another chapter to his legendary career by scoring one of the greatest goals seen by a Socceroo on home soil.

After a frustrating first half against China in Thursday night’s Asian Cup quarterfinal, Cahill delivered like he has on so many occasions.

Facing away from goal and tightly marked by a Chinese opponent, Cahill flipped his body horizontally and sent a perfect bicycle kick into the corner of the net.

It eased the pressure on the Socceroos, who began to find regular holes in the Chinese defence.

ANGRY ANGE ‘FRUSTRATED AS HELL’ WITH CRITICS

FINAL FOUR IS GREAT BUT CAN SOCCEROOS WIN IT?

And it was Cahill who took advantage, adding a second goal with a well-directed header from a Jason Davidson cross.

Australia’s all-time leading goalscorer now has 39 goals in his international career — 20 with his head.

The 2-0 win sends the Socceroos into the semifinals, where they’ll meet the winner of Japan-UAE in Newcastle on Tuesday night.

“This is a big win for us but it was something I knew deep down before the game was going to happen because I believe in this team,” Cahill said.

10.50pm — CAHILL DOUBLES THE ADVANTAGE

Textbook.

AFTER scoring with a freakish bicycle kick Tim Cahill added a second goal through a more traditional method — his head.

In a scene that has become so familiar to Australian football fans in the past decade, Cahill was perfectly positioned to meet a great cross from Jason Davidson and give the Socceroos a 2-0 lead.

Cahill #DestructionInTheBox #CHNvAUS

— Ned Zelic (@NedZelic) January 22, 2015

A warning to Japan by Timmy Cahill. I'm coming to get you! The tighter the game, the higher the level, the more responsibility he takes

— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) January 22, 2015

Timmy not happy with just a Pelé goal. He had to score a Cahill goal.

— Les Murray (@lesmurraySBS) January 22, 2015

10.35pm — CAHILLS ADDS ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT TO HIS REEL

Cahill heads straight to the cornerpost for his famous celebration.

IT wasn’t quite as good as his screamer at last year’s World Cup but Tim Cahill has delivered another superb strike to give the Socceroos the lead in tonight’s quarterfinal against China.

After an Australian corner was cleared, Ivan Franjic sent the ball back into the box where Cahill — with his back to goal — connected with a perfect bicycle kick to find the corner of the net.

10.20pm — SOCCEROOS LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION

Mathew Leckie has been close to Australia’s best in the first half.

AUSTRALIA is dominating the stats sheet but failed to seriously trouble China in a somewhat subdued first half.

The home team completed almost five times as many passes (252-57), had 71 per cent of the possession and sent in 15 cross to China’s six, but it ultimately added up to little.

9.50pm — CHINA START THE BRIGHTER

Wu Xi and Jason Davidson fight for possession.

THERE’S been few clear cut chances for either side in the opening 25 minutes.

Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak has taken time to settle after returning from injury and has already picked up a yellow card.

9pm — SOUTH KOREA FIRST THROUGH

Son Heung-Min scored twice for South Korea.

SOUTH Korea is the first country in the final four after defeating Uzbekistan 2-0 tonight in extra time.

The game was tied at 0-0 after 90 minutes but Son Heung-min found the back of the net in the 104th and 119th minutes.

South Korea will play the winner of the Iraq-Iran match in the semifinals.

8.30pm — ANGE TURNS TO AN OLD HAND

This man will be like a Bresc of fresh air for the Socceroos tonight.

VETERAN Mark Bresciano will line up alongside Mile Jedinak and Massimo Luongo in the Socceroos starting midfield tonight as Ange Postecoglou turns to experience for the big game against China.

As expected, Alex Wilkinson and Jason Davidson have been called into the back four and attacking trio Tim Cahill, Mathew Leckie and Robbie Kruse resume up front.

That’s a total of seven changes to the team which started against South Korea in the final group stage.

Here's our starting list for tonight's @AFCAsianCup Quarter Final! LIVE on BOTH FOX SPORTS 505 and ABC from 9pm AEDT pic.twitter.com/E5wPgbH5yP

— Socceroos (@Socceroos) January 22, 2015

Swindon Town midfielder Massimo Luongo has made way for Bresciano in both games and was looking forward to partnering the veteran in midfield.

“I would relish the chance to play with Bresh,’’ Luongo said.

“Before the tournament started training was intense and he’s always got a cool head, his quality’s always there regardless of what stage of his career he’s in.’’

Postecoglou is confident that the Socceroos can over-run China if tonight’s Asian Cup quarter-final runs into extra-time.

The Socceroos looked exhausted at the final whistle of last Saturday’s loss to South Korea in stifling Brisbane humidity.

But after incorporating a modified and personalised training regime since, Postecoglou revealed that the players were in pristine condition.

Good luck to the boys @Socceroos in the quarter final tonight! #asiancup

— Nikita Rukavytsya (@RealRukavytsya) January 22, 2015

“We’ll be ready for anything, 90 minutes, extra time, penalties, whatever it is. There’s a game of football to be won,’’ he said.

“(The fitness staff) are telling me that the boys are in great condition.

“We’ve finished strongly in all games, really strong. I’m more than confident if it goes to extra time that we’ve got fuel in the tank to do that.

“It’s not ideal because it takes more out of the players going forward, but physically they’ll be ready to do what’s required and whatever’s thrown at them.’’

China will line up as follows:

Start list: China PR #CHNvAUS #AC2015 pic.twitter.com/uSDhcw2hKf

— AFC Asian Cup (@afcasiancup) January 22, 2015

Originally published as Australia vs China Asian Cup quarterfinal in Brisbane