Australia vs UAE Asian Cup semi-final in Newcastle
THE Socceroos admitted they weren’t at their best in a 2-0 win against UAE but this statistic will have Ange Postecoglou smiling.
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Score: Australia 2 (Sainsbury 3m, Davidson 14m) UAE 0
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Scroll to the bottom of the page for blow-by-blow coverage.
10pm — SOCCEROOS SCORING FROM EVERYWHERE
THE unpredictability of the Socceroos’ attack looms as one of their biggest strengths entering Saturday night’s Asian Cup final against South Korea.
Defenders Trent Sainsbury and Jason Davidson brought the number of individual Australian goal scorers in the Asian Cup to 10 in a 2-0 win against UAE on Tuesday night.
It’s extraordinary diversity in just five games and is sure to cause the South Korean team headaches in the build-up.
Sainsbury and Davidson joined Tim Cahill (three), Massimo Luongo, Robbie Kruse, James Troisi, Mark Milligan, Mile Jedinak and Matt McKay in finding the back of the net in this Asian Cup.
And their goals — scored inside the first 15 minutes of the game — proved enough as the home side held firm in a dour second half.
“It feels unbelievable, especially to do it on home soil,” Davidson said.
“The aim was to score as quickly as possible.
“(To score myself) was a dream come true.”
Postecoglou suggested his team was reaping the benefits of blooding youngsters like Sainsbury and Davidson in friendly games over the past two years.
“Those kind of players are developing for us now. They’ve had exposure to international football,” he said.
But as the Socceroos eye the ultimate glory on Saturday, forward Robbie Kruse indicated they could improve on their performance against the UAE in Newcastle.
“We’re in the final, that’s what we set out to do,” Kruse said..
“It wasn’t the best performance... but sometimes in semi-finals you just have to grind out a victory.
“It’s going to be a massive achievement if we can get it done (in the final).”
9.20pm — MCKAY, JURIC INTRODUCED
THE Socceroos still hold a somewhat comfortable 2-0 lead but have seen their performance drop slightly in the first 20 minutes of the second half.
Perhaps in an effort to shock his side into action, Ange Postecoglou has made two substitutions — replacing Mark Milligan and Tim Cahill with Matt McKay and Tomi Juric.
9pm — SOCCEROOS IN CONTROL
THE half-time statistics illustrate Australia’s ball control but remind the home side of the threat posed by UAE.
The Socceroos have completed 231 passes to the visitor’s 156, but shots on target (5-4), crosses (13-10) and corners (3-2) are relatively even.
8.15pm — DAVIDSON ADDS A SECOND
JASON Davidson has joined Trent Sainsbury in opening his international goal scoring account to leave the Socceroos up 2-0 and in full command of tonight’s Asian Cup semi-final.
After a goalmouth scramble, the ball spilled out to Davidson, who slotted his shot to the right of the UAE goalkeeper.
OH YA BEAUTY!!! Maty Ryan set to be the only Australian not to score in the tournament - give him a penalty! #AUSvUAE
— Kevin Airs (@KevinAirs442) January 27, 20158.05pm — SAINSBURY PROVIDES UNLIKELY OPENER
AUSTRALIA already has its nose in front in tonight’s Asian Cup semi-final against UAE.
Trent Sainsbury was left unmarked at a corner in the third minute and directed his header perfectly into the net.
8pm — ANGE’S PHILOSOPHICAL CHANGE
WHEN the Socceroos send crosses into the box against the United Arab Emirates in tonight’s Asian Cup semi-final, Ange Postecoglou might cringe inwardly.
“My one pet hate is putting the ball in dispute and usually that comes from when the ball’s in the air or a crossing situation. I just hate it, it goes against everything I believe in,” Postecoglou told the ABC’s Gerard Whateley this week.
But in a perfect example of the flexibility it takes to be a good coach, Postecoglou will instruct his players to do something that normally makes his skin crawl.
The reason? The world-class heading ability of frontman Tim Cahill.
“I’m telling them to whip it in from anywhere because if it goes anywhere near him ... I still think in the penalty box he’s world-class,” Postecoglou said.
Cahill again looms as the key to Australia’s hopes of progressing to Saturday night’s final against South Korea in Sydney.
He scored twice in Australia’s 2-0 quarterfinal win against China to take his tally for the tournament to three — one behind UAE striker Ali Mabkhout.
Mabkhout and fro-wearing midfielder Omar Abdulrahman will have to be tightly marked but the Socceroos enter the game a $1.45 favourite to win the game.
Central defender Matthew Spiranovic and midfielder Mark Milligan have been included in Australia’s starting 11 for tonight’s game.
Spiranovic replaces Alex Wilkinson after serving a one-game suspension while Milligan comes in for Mark Bresciano.
It appears as though Postecoglou plans to play two holding midfielders — Milligan and Jedinak — in front of the back four in a slight shift in strategy from the formation he’s played so far in the tournament.
Mark Milligan starting alongside Jedinak in midfield suggests Ange is well and truly putting the clamp down on Omar Abdulrahman. #Socceroos
— Riley Beveridge (@RileyBev) January 27, 2015After two games on a difficult pitch in Brisbane, it appears the surface in Newcastle is in prime condition despite the rain in NSW.
Pitch looks outstanding!! Cmon @Socceroos #AUSvUAE pic.twitter.com/qFveZTo2TX
— Brenton Speed (@BrentonSpeed) January 27, 2015Originally published as Australia vs UAE Asian Cup semi-final in Newcastle
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