Socceroos finally finding the net to boost hopes of building consistent attack
Goals have long been an issue for the Socceroos - we scored just two at last year’s World Cup - but there are positive signs that is changing.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Fortunes are finally starting to look up for the Socceroos’ strikeforce.
While minnows Chinese Taipei threw up concerning questions about defensive structure and game management, there’s one thing of which Graham Arnold can be confident - Australia’s infamous aversion to goals appears to have been remedied.
Struggling to score from open play has become synonymous with the men’s national team in recent times.
Rewind 16 months to the World Cup in Russia where the Socceroos managed a total two goals, both from the penalty spot, to finish bottom of their group with a solitary point.
Stream every game of The 2019/20 Hyundai A-League season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial & start streaming instantly >
A lack of emerging and in-form strikers had the country in a collective sweat about where the next Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell or Tim Cahill would come from.
Skip forward to Tuesday night in Kaohsiung, the scene of the Socceroos’ 7-1 walkover.
Yes, world No.129 Chinese Taipei fielded an obliging defence, but Adam Taggart and Jamie Maclaren - never mind a brace from both Jackson Irvine and Harry Souttar - still offered enough reassurance the final-third impotence can be consigned to the past.
Taggart’s double was fitting reward for resilience and hard work following a horrid run with injury.
Having slowly but surely restored his fitness and reputation with Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar, the 26-year-old is enjoying a purple patch with Suwon Bluewings prolific enough to make him the K-League’s equal top-scorer and in June leave Arnold with little choice but to recall him after nearly five years in the international wilderness.
Likewise, Maclaren’s hat-trick against Nepal in Canberra last week, followed by another goal off the bench against Chinese Taipei, is proof the Melbourne City man can indeed become the green-and-gold marksman plenty had predicted.
Add the eventual returns from injury of Martin Boyle and Daniel Arzani, and the Socceroos’ attacking fortunes will have fattened up markedly by the time the next World Cup qualifying phase tosses up far more testy Asian opposition later next year.
As well, Bert van Marwijk’s preferred winger-turned-striker Andrew Nabbout is back from his unfruitful stint in Japan and ready to work his way back in good form at Melbourne Victory.
“It’s great to see Taggart score a couple of goals and Jamie come on and score,” Arnold said.
“The chances we’re creating, you can see the movement is getting better and better each camp.
It was an improvement on the Nepal game where we weren’t ruthless enough. Against Chinese Taipei still we had some good opportunities, but it shows our attacking patterns are gelling together well.”
They’ll need that next month away to Jordan, who parked the bus and shocked the Socceroos in their first Asian Cup group game in January.
“You have to be patient,” Irvine said.
“Not get frustrated and take the chances when they come.”