Olyroos Need to Shine
Olyroos falter an need to be better next time around
It was a very lacklustre performance by the Olyroos in their first match of the AFC U23 Rio Olympic qualifiers in Qatar early this morning our time.
Olyroos starting line-up v UAE
For a team that hasn’t made the Olympics since Sydney in 2000, I expected more from the youngsters and they need to do more if they are to make it out of the Group stages of this competition.
The early moments of the match were fraught with poor passing and at times the second touch needed to be a tackle because it was so poor and closer to the opponent.
In the first half the Olyroos held 58 percent of the possession and after a long ball down the left to Pain who placed the cross to Maclaren you thought the green and gold were a certainty to go ahead, but the ball connected with his shin and fumbled past the right post.
Even though the Aussies held most of the possession they looked disorganised in the front third and had their chances to go ahead, but couldn’t quite get the timing of their runs right to get in behind the opposition defence.
It was the Emirates that looked the more imaginative and could of gone ahead with a good passage of play and only good positioning by Duncan, who made the effort look trivial, saved the day.
The set play corner kick early on was laughable with players making their run in the box before the kicker had even started his run up and I’m sure that the players will cringe when they see this replay the next morning.
Vidmar played the customary 4-3-3, but there were times when the third forward Hoole was totally out of touch with play and was playing far too wide to make any impact in the front third.
The Olyroos looked more settled in the second half and at one point held possession quite well on the edge of the front third, which allowed the front three to get forward into more dangerous positions.
Probably the best play of the match came when Galloway made a run inside and played Edwards who played a quick ball to Pain, on the outside left of the defender. Touching the ball ahead and with the goalkeeper to beat, just skewed the ball right of the post.
The ever smiling referee did a good job in a match that at times was a very physical encounter and the Aussies were saved by the linesman midway through the half when a goal and header from the Emirates number seven was disallowed deemed offside.
The UAE started to look dangerous, but the Aussies defended well and just managed to get the toe in at the most opportune moments denying the Middle Easterners who at times looked technically superior.
An own goal was to be the difference, UAE 1 Australia 0.
By Paul Brown
paul@burwoodscene.com.au
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