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State of play
With two games remaining, Australia have no more room for error.
Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Oman was the latest setback in what’s been an inconsistent campaign from the Socceroos - stemming back to their costly 2-1 defeat to Japan last October.
Since then, Graham Arnold’s men have drawn three of four qualifying fixtures all while the top two automatic qualification spots – held by Saudi Arabia and Japan – drift further and further away.
Japan reeled leaders Saudi Arabia back into the mix with a 2-0 victory in Saitama last night but now sit three points clear of Australia ahead of their crucial clash in Sydney next month.
Should Australia fail to find all three points then, their hopes of attending a fifth straight World Cup will hinge on whether they can successfully navigate the perilous playoffs.
And yet, not even victory over Japan would guarantee automatic qualification, as the Socceroos would then need to snatch an away win over a Saudi Arabia side currently four points ahead.
It’s all shaping up to be a nail-biting finale to the third round of World Cup qualification, but one can’t help but wonder if the Socceroos will hold their nerve.
O(h)man
Another World Cup qualifier, another disappointing day in front of goal for the Socceroos.
Australia were left to rue missed opportunities in Muscat after their must-win match with Oman ended in a frustrating 2-2 draw.
The Socceroos were near-perfect in the first half, playing through and around their opposition with ease en route to a 1-0 lead courtesy of Jamie Maclaren in the 15th minute.
Maclaren’s spot-kick was supposed to set the tone for further damage on the scoresheet, but that’s as good as it got, as an improved Oman outfit soon made their opposition pay for failing to put them away.
Mathew Leckie and Tom Rogic both had genuine attempts to add to Australia’s advantage before the Omani revival but neither could convert, and were eventually replaced midway through the second half, along with Maclaren.
The Melbourne City star’s final – and, perhaps, only other – contribution before his substitution was a volley fired wide of Faiz Al-Rushaidi’s near post, and his replacement, Mitch Duke, didn’t fare much better.
Australia’s need for that finishing touch has been well and truly exposed in this third round of qualification and, with two games remaining, they’re running out of time to find it.
Tale of two halves
Branko Ivankovic got the better of Graham Arnold in Muscat and the proof was in a pudding the Socceroos coach had no recipe for.
Having watched his side struggle in the first half, Ivankovic introduced Mahmood Al-Mushaifri and Muhsen Al-Ghassani to start the second as part of a new-look, attacking 4-4-2 formation.
The move away from his initial 4-2-3-1 setup allowed the Reds to better exploit the Socceroos’ weaknesses between midfield and defence, and the results were almost instantaneous.
Playing with renewed vigour, pace and intensity, Oman’s opening 10 minutes produced an equaliser of the highest quality from Abdullah Fawaz and served to stun their profligate opposition.
Arnold stuck by his 4-2-3-1 formation in response and though his like-for-like substitutions contributed to his side’s second lead of the night, a late Fawaz penalty ensured Ivankovic had the last laugh at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.
Arnold’s everlasting message
Graham Arnold remains unperturbed after the Socceroos fell further behind Japan following their 2-2 draw with Oman.
Speaking after the match, the 58-year-old moved to calm the Australian public, assuring them that “everything is still in our hands” with two games left to play in the third round of qualification.
Those two games will come against the top two teams in Group B and though nothing less than six points will see Australia through, Arnold isn’t worried.
“I’ve still got a load of belief in the boys,” Arnold said.
“We have to win both games. Beating Japan and Saudi Arabia away, our goal difference is like an extra point.”
Having belief in the process has been Arnold’s one and only message to pundits, players, and fans alike on this journey to Qatar.
But after this morning’s performance, you can’t blame the latter for starting to lose hope.
On the Boyle
On a more positive note, Martin Boyle’s performance was arguably one of Australia’s best in the 2-2 draw.
Al-Faisaly’s big-money signing was a constant threat down the right-hand side and, much like fellow winger Mathew Leckie, formed the focal point of several foray forwards.
While the 28-year-old failed to find the back of the net in his 13th international appearance, he was credited with helping establish the Socceroos’ early advantage in Muscat.
A long ball forward from Jackson Irvine was brought down beautifully by the former Hibernian star, who beat both Abdul Gheilani and goalkeeper Faiz Al-Rushaidi before being brought down inside the box.
That touch was one of many Boyle used to get around his man and towards the byline, and Oman’s inability to track those runs again came to the fore in the build-up to Aaron Mooy’s second-half strike.
Boyle’s presence alone is enough to give the Socceroos a chance in close matches and Graham Arnold will no doubt hope his Scottish-born acquisition can make the difference when Japan visit Sydney on March 24.
