‘There’s lessons to be learned’: Socceroos rue missed chances as they let big opportunity slip

London: After a whole lot of something, it was an absolutely nothing ball that undid the Socceroos. Having outplayed England for almost an hour in their long-awaited debut at Wembley Stadium, a piece of poor defending burst the bubble.

The more you watch it, the more you wonder how it was allowed to happen, this momentary lapse that pushed Graham Arnold’s “boxing kangaroos” onto the back foot: the second phase of an English free kick, a speculative long ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold, thumped across the face of goal by Jack Grealish and bundled in at the back stick by Ollie Watkins.

Where were the flying limbs of Harry Souttar and Cameron Burgess, which had reliably snuffed out all previous threats? The hands on Australian heads and hips in the immediate aftermath said it all.

“You could feel it in the dressing room after the game,” midfielder Jackson Irvine said. “I think that’s a testament to the mentality of the group, coming to a place like this against an opponent like that, and feeling there was maybe something there for us tonight.”

This one hurts. It was only a friendly, sure, but this 1-0 defeat was an opportunity missed, another chance for the Socceroos to make a big statement to an audience that – Ange Postecoglou’s ongoing Tottenham Hotspur miracle notwithstanding – still thinks Australians don’t really get this game.

Maybe at some level a statement was still made.

Prior to the goal, it is no exaggeration to say the Socceroos had the better chances, and were the better team, their fearless approach silencing the sold-out crowd of 81,116 at England’s national stadium. The difference was the fine margins at both ends – Australia’s failure to convert at one and stay alert at the other.

The Socceroos look on as England celebrate Ollie Watkins’ goal at Wembley.Credit: AP

“That can be the difference at this level,” Irvine said “Top-class players have that half-second of composure to bring the ball down and put it into a dangerous area. And that’s the goal that wins in the game. There’s lessons to be learned from that for us.”

Buoyed by the spirit of Upton Park in 2003, with that midweek pump up from Postecoglou and Guus Hiddink still ringing in their ears, Arnold’s men refused to yield. They’ve made a habit of that recently, this team, and it deserves to be better recognised, at home and abroad. The consolation prize is knowing that they will surely be better for this experience.

“There’s not many national teams that have the courage to go and to press against big teams, because I’ll tell you, most national team coaches, they think they haven’t got enough contact time with the team, so they ask for a more calm approach. We always go full out, we press where we can, and I think that is admirable from our side,” said assistant coach Rene Meulensteen, deputising in the post-match presser for Arnold, who lost his voice yelling from the sideline.

Kye Rowles produces a spectacular strike.Credit: Getty

Granted, this wasn’t England’s strongest line-up. Gareth Southgate rested big guns such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice, clearly with an eye to their Euros qualifier with Italy on Tuesday night. Of those players, only Rashford saw any minutes.

That’s not to say England rolled out a “weak” team by any stretch, at least if we’re talking recognisable names at famous clubs in respected leagues. But man for man, the Socceroos matched them, and after settling quickly into the match, they generated a glut of terrific chances.

Australia’s Cameron Burgess brings down Conor Gallagher.Credit: Getty

Keanu Baccus had a curling shot on goal tipped wide by Sam Johnstone. Then 10 minutes later, an effort from Mitchell Duke went just past the post. At a corner kick not long after that, Rowles had a lash from close range; he, too, probably should have scored.

And so should have Watkins, breaking free on the left as England sprung forward immediately after that corner kick. He got in behind and rounded Maty Ryan, but his shot bounced off the post, and the ball was cleared to safety by Cameron Burgess.

Yet, the Socceroos kept coming, and just before half-time, a brilliant ball from Baccus put Martin Boyle through and his lay-off for Ryan Strain was only just kept out by a diving Lewis Dunk. The corner of gold-clad Aussies at the other end was loving it.

They picked up right where they left off in the second half, but simply went to sleep for the goal; there’s no other way to put it. From that moment, the game lost its sting, and then its fluency as both sides rang the changes.

Australia never stopped, and came close to an equaliser when Connor Metcalfe hit the post from a corner kick in the 80th minute. But they didn’t get what they came for.

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