Socceroos v UAE: Trent Sainsbury, Jason Davidson goals set up South Korea decider

SO close they can almost touch it, the Socceroos are on the verge of conquering Asia. Ange Postecoglou’s side is in the final of the Asian Cup.

Socceroos v UAE

SO close they can almost touch it, the Socceroos are on the verge of conquering Asia.

Ange Postecoglou’s side is in the final of the Asian Cup after defeating the UAE 2-0 on Tuesday night at Hunter Stadium.

Early goals for Trent Sainsbury and Jason Davidson gave Australia the perfect start but they put their supporters through a nervous and disjointed second half before gratefully celebrating the final whistle.

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Trent Sainsbury got the Socceroos off to a perfect start.

It sets the scene for the roof to be lifted off ANZ Stadium on Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd, with South Korea standing in the way of a home triumph.

Much discussion beforehand had centred on whether the UAE could frustrate the Australians as they had Japan previously.

It took two and a half minutes for the answer to come. Robbie Kruse’s persistence paid off on the right to earn a corner, and when Massimo Luongo swept the setpiece across, Sainsbury had time and space to glance the ball home.

It was as perfect a start as Ange Postecoglou’s side could have wished for, and for the next few minutes they tore into the UAE defence.

Yet always there was the threat of dropping the guard for a moment, and when Abdelaziz Sankour got clear for a low cutback, Ahmed Khalil brushed the post with a shot.

Australia celebrates a goal by Trent Sainsbury. Picture: Brett Costello

It sparked the home side to renew their efforts, and in the 13th minute they were two ahead.

Ivan Franjic began it on the right, slipping in Kruse for a cross towards Tim Cahill. Though two defenders combined to block the striker, and Matthew Leckie’s follow-up shot was blocked, Davidson was on hand to slide home the loose ball.

Two-nil ahead so early in the game should have had the crowd enthralled — instead there was a nervous, suffocated atmosphere, almost silent at times.

It seemed to infect the players as the first half went on, allowing the UAE back into the game, and Khalil twice went close.

Then Omar Abdulrahman’s brilliance came out, with a breathtaking dribble through the Socceroos and pass to Khalil that only Franjic’s desperate toe end cleared away.

Khalil’s danger came from distance too, unleashing a swerving shot from more than 20m on 51 minutes that Mat Ryan was relieved to watch sail just wide. Then Ali Ahmed Makbhout found space to cross low and just millimetres away from Khalil’s boot.

Australia's Jason Davidson celebrates. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Kruse sought to lift his side, sprinting from his own half with the ball but eventually shooting wide.

Matt McKay was introduced as a calming influence in midfield, but Jedinak was cautioned for a late trip on Omar. There were demonstrable nerves, and the home side’s defence was dropping alarmingly deep.

Cahill’s night of industry came to an end, replaced by Tomi Juric as Postecoglou sought fresh impetus higher up the pitch, and from a quick free kick Luongo twisted in the box and let fly with a shot that Majed Naser was forced to tip aside.

Quiet before, the 21,079 crowd sank into almost complete silence as the UAE probed the Socceroos’ rearguard.

The Australians’ smooth gears of the first half seemed to have suffered a faulty clutch as they sought the safety of a third goal. Jedinak headed over from a corner, then McKay shot wastefully over.

James Troisi came in with nine minutes left, replacing the exhausted Kruse, and even the UAE’s

spirit ebbed away as the final moments passed.

Now South Korea awaits.

2015 Asian Cup semi-final

AUSTRALIA 2 (Sainsbury 3, Davidson 14)

UAE 0

Crowd: 21,079 at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle

Australia (4-3-3): Ryan; Franjic, Sainsbury, Spiranovic, Davidson; Jedinak, Milligan (McKay 59), Luongo; Kruse (Troisi 82), Leckie, Cahill (Juric 67).

UAE (4-2-3-1): Naser; Sanqour, Salem Ahmad, Abbas (Saleh 78); Esmail, A Abdulrahman; O Abdulrahman, M Abdulrahman (Al Hammadi 46), Mabkhout; Khalil (Al Kathiri 66).

Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (UZB)

Yellow cards:

AUS: Leckie 42, Jedinak 64.

UAE: Nil.

Red cards: Nil

Originally published as Socceroos v UAE: Trent Sainsbury, Jason Davidson goals set up South Korea decider