Socceroos v Thailand: Tomi Juric, Mathew Leckie score goals as Australia leave it late to grab win

WHEN Australia struck the post twice inside 17 minutes, one sensed it wasn’t going to be their night. That they won was important but the goal avalanche needed never came.

Tomi Juric put the Socceroos into a 69th minute lead.

THE superb Socceroos documentary ‘November 16’ details how destiny was on Australia’s side in breaking a 32-year drought to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.

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POST PROBLEMS: Socceroos full of hard luck stories

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On Tuesday night fate appeared to conspire against the Socceroos in search of a fourth straight FIFA World Cup qualification.

The Socceroos battered Thailand to the extent that if it were a boxing bout the referee would’ve called it off by the sixth round.

Mathew Leckie blasts home the winner with five minutes remaining.

But this is international football and Australia somehow managed to only score just two goals, via Tomi Juric and Mat Leckie, and concede late on in between leaving their World Cup hopes in the hands of Japan.

The Socceroos led shots on goal 46-8 and had 76 per cent possession, but plucky and improving Thailand frustrated Australia at a packed AAMI Park.

Aided by the urgency displayed by inclusion Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan’s deployment in midfield, the Socceroos set a cracking pace and created an abundance of early chances.

When Aaron Mooy and Cahill struck the post inside 17 minutes — the latter’s strike subsequently crawling across the face of goal — one sensed it wasn’t going to be Australia’s night.

Milligan and Juric then had a goal-bound shots blocked by desperate Thai defenders.

Aaron Mooy is stunned that Thailand are level.

The longer the game went the tenser the crowd got and it infected the players as the ice-cool composure needed in such situations was missing.

For all their misfortune, the Socceroos perhaps could have anticipated, gambled more inside the penalty area and their final ball could have been crisper.

Considering Thai keeper Sinthaweechai Hathairatanakul’s struggles with high balls — he spilt several — and Cahill and Juric’s aerial prowess, Australia could have mixed it up a bit more and sent some earlier balls into the box.

Both Aussie goals included suspect Thai defending from high balls.

Australia’s uncertainty was underlined by the back three — with right-sided stopper Bailey Wright surging forward to support and central stopper Trent Sainsbury reminding him of his defensive responsibilities.

It was a frustrating night in front of goal for Tom Rogic.

Thai coach Milovan Rajevac virtually set up two banks of deep defence, including a back five with the dangerous duo of Teerasil Dangda and Chanatip Songkrasin.

Thailand was not without its chances — two-goal hero from last November’s meeting and captain Dangda had a golden chance on 10 minutes while keeper Mat Ryan was lucky to escape yellow after he was caught out by the same player’s pace and trickery.

Thailand should have had a penalty just after the restart when Sainsbury made contact with Dangda inside the box after a turnover.

Cahill was replaced by Robbie Kruse who was an inch away from scoring within second of his 57th minute substitution.

When Australia struck the upright for the third time with Rogic’s excellent 67th minute effort, Australia’s fate appeared sealed.

Tomi Juric celebrates giving the Socceroos the lead.

But Mooy and Juric combined to breath life into Australia’s Russia 2018 hopes, with the former delivering another superbly flight ball which the latter glanced home.

Game on and Socceroos assistant Ante Milicic sprinted to Jamie Maclaren and grabbed him, virtually throwing the substitute onto the pitch for Wright.

Milligan dropped back but their intent was clear. Juric had a header cleared off the line while Rogic cleverly beat the keeper but it sailed just over.

Thailand silenced the 26,393 crowd on 82 minutes with a cleverly crafted equaliser when Pokklaw A-Nan’s shot went in via the underside of the bar.

Mat Leckie restored the lead four minutes later when he pounced and blasted in a loose ball.

The Socceroos threw numbers forward but it was to no avail. Their destiny is out of their hands and it will be a tense few hours coming up.