Alen Stajcic refutes anti-football claims saying players got result

MATILDAS coach Alen Stajcic was angered by suggestions anti-football reared its ugly head during the Australia and Japan AFC women’s Asian Cup clash in Amman.

Chloe Logarzo and Hasegawa Yui. Pic: Francois Nel/Getty Images

MATILDAS coach Alen Stajcic was angered by suggestions anti-football reared its ugly head during the Australia and Japan AFC women’s Asian Cup clash in Amman.

The game stopped dead in its tracks in the 86th minute after Sam Kerr’s equaliser seemed to be the catalyst to terminate the previously brilliant football spectacle between two of the world’s best nations at Amman Stadium on Saturday morning.

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The 1-1 draw between the two sides ensured both teams qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with the pair also winning a semi-final Asian Cup berth.

Chloe Logarzo contests with Hasegawa Yui. Pic: Francois Nel/Getty Images

After Kerr’s goal Japan was happy to trade passes between its central defenders, Australia stayed back and wouldn’t attempt to break up the monotony which only ended once the shrill of referee Ri Hyang Ok echoed around the arena seven minutes later.

“You can’t blame the players it’s not their fault, we won the group,’’ Stajcic said.

“We did nothing more, we did everything we possibly can to win the group and we got out to win every match, we go out from the outset.

“We had 10 chances on goal, we fought for 90 minutes.

“At the end of the game Japan had the ball, a 1-1 put us on top of the group, if Japan want to keep the ball in their half and they’re happy, that’s up to them.

“For us we want to win the group, if people don’t want to see that (type of ending to a match) then maybe people are going to have to look at the way the draw is done and the way the rules of the competition are set-up.

“That’s got nothing to do with Sam (Kerr) or Japan or me, we do everything we can to win.

“We play in a good spirit all the time and we play among the rules all the time.

“If that’s the way the tournament is set up, we can’t control that.”

Summary of the final five minutes of Australia vs Japan. Could've just called it a draw after Sam Kerr scored #Matildas pic.twitter.com/Kk2wmc4Ak3

— Bryce (@LovingtheBobo) April 13, 2018

Australia on the world stage with the @TheMatildas qualifying for the @FIFAcom Women’s World Cup & a semi final spot in the Asian Cup. Outstanding. #matildas ⚽️ https://t.co/bAWJN2xGto

— Peter Filopoulos (@peterfilopoulos) April 13, 2018

Kerr’s equaliser meant Australia would top Group B and Japan would hold down second spot to edge out South Korea according to the Asian Football Confederation’s women’s Asian Cup competition regulations.

With Australia, Japan and South Korea locked on five points apiece at the end of the Group B stage, the AFC’s head-to-head rule applied after all three teams had draws when they faced each other.

Katrina Gorry against Mana Iwabuchi. Pic: Getty Images

The ruling favoured the Japanese because a score draw with Australia enabled it to leapfrog South Korea after two earlier scoreless draws.

With Stajcic steaming Japan coach Asako Takemoto was almost apologetic for the pedestrian ending to the clash which previously reached fever pitch when Mizuho Sakaguchi scored the opener in the 62nd minute.

That goal threatened to end Australia’s chances of playing in a consecutive Asian Cup semi-finals under Stajcic’s watch with a rolling premiership table relegating the Australians to third spot as the South Koreans were belting Vietnam 4-0 at King Abdullah Stadium.

Kerr then rescued Australia and a semi-final berth when she pounced on a loose ball after Emily van Egmond’s ball to Kyah Simon exposed Japan’s lock-tight defence.

Simon who was on the pitch for just 16 minutes drove the ball towards the six-yard box with Kerr making the most of Japanese keeper Ayaka Yamashita spilling the leather.

Kerr drove the ball home from an acute angle to salvage the Matildas Asian Cup campaign.

Australia now meets Thailand in the semi-final of the tournament at King Abdullah Stadium II on Wednesday morning (EST).

Japan meets China at the same venue in the earlier clash for a spot in the final.