An hour into the Socceroos World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia this week the future looked grim. The predominantly home based squad, deployed in a rigid and defensive 4-4-2 formation, relying on long balls from the back, seemed bereft of ideas.
The Saudis, with greater motivation to win as they had yet to qualify for the next stage of World Cup qualification, had taken the lead on 20 minutes through a well taken goal from Al Dawsari, and whilst Australia had levelled through Alex Brosque (looking sharper for his year in Japan), parity hadn’t lasted long – with the visitors snatching back the advantage before the celebrations had died down – Nasser Al Shamrani firing home after a right wing attack. For the majority of the first half Australia looked one paced, apparently content to cruise through what was effectively a dead rubber for them. However as the second half went on the home side got stronger. Mark Bresciano, recalled after over a year in the international wilderness, was showing genuine class in the midfield – neat, creative first time passes increasingly catching the Saudis at the back.
Quick thinking Bresciano linked well with his forward line and it seemed to be just a matter of time before the Socceroos would get back into the match. However, none of the 24,212 strong crowd that braved the rain would have really expected what was to come in a brutal 5 minute second half spell which coincided with the arrival of Archie Thompson as a substitute.
Harry Kewell levelled in the 73rd minute, slotting home first time on the run after a neat build up involving Thompson and Bresciano – Alex Brosque put the Socceroos ahead two minutes later after good work from Brett Emerton, and then with the Saudis in a state of shock Emerton himself broke into the box and forced home a fourth to send the crowd home happy and give the national team a huge boost prior to the next phase of qualifiers.
It was an outstanding end result for a side which was considerably below full strength against a Saudi team which had taken the game very seriously – travelling to Australia ten days early and playing two warm-up games against the New Zealand Olympic squad to ensure they were ready. Evidently they weren’t ready enough.
Australia 4 (Brosque 43, Kewell 73, Brosque 75, Emerton 76) Saudi Arabia 2 (Al Dawasari 19, Al Shamrahni 45) Attendance: 24,214 at AAMI Park
