Grant goal gives Socceroos a 10th straight win on the road to next year’s World Cup

It wasn’t pretty, but the Socceroos did enough in Hanoi to win a 10th consecutive World Cup qualifier.

Goalscorer Rhyan Grant (second from left) celebrates with Adam Taggart (left) and Awer Mabil (right). Picture: Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP

Rhyan Grant’s first goal for the Socceroos has been enough to secure Australia a 10th successive World Cup qualifying win.

In hot and humid Hanoi conditions on Tuesday night, the Socceroos beat Vietnam 1-0 to maintain their perfect record on the road to next year’s World Cup.

But while it’s a “perfect 10”, the Australians’ latest victory was one of the less memorable of their winning streak.

The Vietnamese were no pushovers, providing the Socceroos with a much tougher test than they encountered in last Friday’s 3-0 win over a disappointing China in Doha.

It took 43 minutes for the Socceroos to break down the hosts’ resistance.

Classy midfielder Ajdin Hrustic was the supplier, clipping a dangerous, looping cross to the far post, where Sydney FC fullback Grant headed home his maiden goal in 16 appearances for the Socceroos.

Rhyan Grant celebrates with teammates after scoring against Vietnam. Picture: Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP

A quarter of an hour earlier Grant could easily have given away a penalty after a shot from Nguyen Phong Hong Duy struck the arm of the Socceroos defender.

VAR intervention was required, with Qatari referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim went to the sideline to check the incident on a monitor.

Much to the relief of Grant and the Socceroos, Al-Jassim stuck with his original decision to not award a penalty.

Vietnam had a great chance to take the lead in just the seventh minute, but Nguyen Quang Hai wasted the opportunity with a shot that was high and wide.

Socceroos substitute Mitch Duke thought he had doubled Australia’s lead in the dying stages, but an offside ruling denied the Socceroos a second goal.

However, Grant’s first-header was enough for Australia to take another step towards World Cup qualification.

“It’s the sign of a good team when you don’t play at your best but you can still win,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said.

Arnold made two changes to the team that started in the victory over China.

In-form attacker Martin Boyle was ruled out with a hamstring injury, with Birmingham City’s Riley McGree called in for the Hibernian winger.

The other change was at left back, with the Seattle Sounders’ Brad Smith earning a start at the expense of Turkey-based Aziz Behich.

Star playmaker Aaron Mooy was again overlooked for a start but entered the contest in the 56th minute as a replacement for McGree.

The Socceroos’ next World Cup qualifier is on October 7 against Group B rivals Oman, with Football Australia officials hopeful that the match can be played, as scheduled, at Bankwest Stadium in Sydney

Australia 1 (Grant 43’) d Vietnam 0 at Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi.

Australia: Mat Ryan, Rhyan Grant, Trent Sainsbury, Harry Souttar, Brad Smith (Aziz Behich 56’), Jackson Irvine, Ajdin Hrustic (Jimmy Jeggo 78’), Tom Rogic, Riley McGree (Aaron Mooy 56’), Awer Mabil, Adam Taggart (Mitchell Duke 66’).

Vietnam: Dang Van Lâm, Que Ngoc Hai, Bùi Tien Dung (Ho Tan Tai 81’), Nguyen Phong Hong, Nguyen Thanh Chung (Nguyen Binh Thanh 76’), Nguyen Trong Hoàng, Nguyen Tuan Anh (Nguyen Van Toàn 46’), Nguyen Hoàng Duc, Nguyen Quang Hai, Phan Van Duc (Pham Duc Huy 63’), Nguyen Tien Linh (Hà Duc Chinh 76’).