Socceroos embrace Saudi challenge with World Cup spot tantalisingly close
Related: Not pretty, not fun but Socceroos slog ends with miraculous win amid late drama | Joey Lynch
Advertisement
Five days on, as Australia's men prepare to face Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium with a spot in the World Cup on the line, there are scant signs of any kind of physical or mental hangover from that evening in Perth. Largely restricted to their accommodations overlooking the Red Sea due to the fierce June heat buffeting the city – a heat that feels amplified when bouncing off the vast network of concrete highways and construction sites dotting around – there has been little to distract players from the task at hand. Their lives have become a cycle of rest, recovery, media for the unlucky few, and training.
Given they maintain a three-point buffer on Saudi Arabia as well as a healthy advantage in goal difference and goals scored, all they need to do to punch their tickets to North America is to avoid conceding five goals or more. Not a crazy expectation for the equal-second most miserly defence in Asia playing against the equal-second most toothless attack. Yet almost as soon as this fixture was confirmed, none within the Australian camp have been willing to countenance any kind of narrative of complacency, damage limitation, parking of buses, or rearguard actions. The message is that qualification is not yet secured, and that means they're not in Jeddah to manage a draw or narrow loss. The Socceroos are out to win.
'We're going to be just as desperate as they are,' Riley McGree said. 'We want to win, we want to play our best football, and we want to put it beyond doubt as soon as possible. Their desperation will be matched just as much with our desperation and our performance.'
Advertisement
Saudi coach Hervé Renard, for his part, knows the scale of the task at hand and that, in all likelihood, his side will be forced into a fourth stage of qualification in October. The swelling of the World Cup to 48 teams has removed some of the existential dread that defeat in a game like this – as the Socceroos experienced against the Saudis just over three years ago – may have once carried.
'For a lot of people, we are already in the playoffs in October. This, I feel, is what 99% of the people are thinking,' said Renard. 'So we don't have anything to lose. We just have to be ready to enjoy it and to satisfy our fans.'
But this safety net means there is also little to disincentivise his side coming out of the blocks breathing fire, seeking an early goal that would bring the crowd into the game, heap pressure on the Australians, and potentially set the stage for a miraculous turnaround. It's something Socceroos players have noted – the intense pressure they'll likely be under in the opening stages.
It is here, perhaps, where the biggest danger lies. The fear is they don't try and play the game but, with the potential reward (or disaster) so significant, get caught up in the sense of occasion. Saudi authorities have made tickets free for the fixture, ensuring the stands will be packed with partisan support and, if there is an early breakthrough, the already cauldron-like stadium could begin to reach boiling point.
Advertisement
'That's always challenging. But when you come to this level of football and you're representing your country, these are the challenges that you must face,' said Popovic. 'We've faced many together since I've become the coach… and we have one more now. I'm sure that young boys will embrace it. We have good, experienced players who can help them be ready.
'These are the moments that you want as a footballer. These are moments you want as a nation. We're excited. We embrace the challenge. We want to go to the World Cup. We're in a very good position. And tomorrow night, we understand we have to work extremely hard, but we have an opportunity to go directly to the World Cup, and we're confident that we can finish the job.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Australian cricketer, captain and coach Bob Simpson dies at age 89
SYDNEY (AP) — Bob Simpson, a former player, captain and coach and one of the most influential figures in Australian cricket, has died at the age of 89. Cricket Australia on Saturday confirmed the death of Simpson, who represented Australia in 62 tests and two one-day internationals between 1957 and 1978. Simpson scored 4,869 test runs, including 10 centuries and 27 half-centuries, and took 71 wickets, while captaining Australia in 39 tests. Simpson was just 16 when he made his first-class debut for New South Wales state against Victoria. He also coached Australia from 1986 to 1996 and under his firm and steady guidance, Australia won the 1987 World Cup, four Ashes campaigns and in 1995 the Frank Worrell Trophy, ending a 17-year drought against the West Indies. Cricket Australia said the Australian team will pay tribute to Simpson with a moment's silence before Saturday night's one-day international against South Africa at Cairns in northern Australia and will also wear black armbands. Simpson made his test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1957, and his first century came in an Ashes test at Old Trafford in 1964, when Simpson went on to score 311. He is one of only seven Australians to make a triple-century. He was also one of the greatest slip-fielders, taking 110 catches. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the first to pay tribute to Simpson. 'Bob Simpson's extraordinary service to Australian cricket spanned generations. As a player, captain and then era-defining coach, he set the highest standards for himself and the champions he led,' Albanese wrote on X. 'He will be long remembered by the game he loved. May he rest in peace.' Simpson was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2013. 'As a brilliant opening batter, incredible slips fielder and handy spin bowler, Bob was a mainstay of a very strong Australian team in the 1960s, and he became a leader across the game as Australian and New South Wales captain and as a coach." Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird said in a statement. 'Bob's decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket." ___ AP cricket: The Associated Press
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Australian cricketer, captain and coach Bob Simpson dies at age 89
SYDNEY (AP) — Bob Simpson, a former player, captain and coach and one of the most influential figures in Australian cricket, has died at the age of 89. Cricket Australia on Saturday confirmed the death of Simpson, who represented Australia in 62 tests and two one-day internationals between 1957 and 1978. Simpson scored 4,869 test runs, including 10 centuries and 27 half-centuries, and took 71 wickets, while captaining Australia in 39 tests. Simpson was just 16 when he made his first-class debut for New South Wales state against Victoria. He also coached Australia from 1986 to 1996 and under his firm and steady guidance, Australia won the 1987 World Cup, four Ashes campaigns and in 1995 the Frank Worrell Trophy, ending a 17-year drought against the West Indies. Cricket Australia said the Australian team will pay tribute to Simpson with a moment's silence before Saturday night's one-day international against South Africa at Cairns in northern Australia and will also wear black armbands. Simpson made his test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1957, and his first century came in an Ashes test at Old Trafford in 1964, when Simpson went on to score 311. He is one of only seven Australians to make a triple-century. He was also one of the greatest slip-fielders, taking 110 catches. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the first to pay tribute to Simpson. 'Bob Simpson's extraordinary service to Australian cricket spanned generations. As a player, captain and then era-defining coach, he set the highest standards for himself and the champions he led,' Albanese wrote on X. 'He will be long remembered by the game he loved. May he rest in peace.' Simpson was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2013. 'As a brilliant opening batter, incredible slips fielder and handy spin bowler, Bob was a mainstay of a very strong Australian team in the 1960s, and he became a leader across the game as Australian and New South Wales captain and as a coach." Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird said in a statement. 'Bob's decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket." ___ AP cricket:
Associated Press
3 hours ago
- Associated Press
Former Australian cricketer, captain and coach Bob Simpson dies at age 89
SYDNEY (AP) — Bob Simpson, a former player, captain and coach and one of the most influential figures in Australian cricket, has died at the age of 89. Cricket Australia on Saturday confirmed the death of Simpson, who represented Australia in 62 tests and two one-day internationals between 1957 and 1978. Simpson scored 4,869 test runs, including 10 centuries and 27 half-centuries, and took 71 wickets, while captaining Australia in 39 tests. Simpson was just 16 when he made his first-class debut for New South Wales state against Victoria. He also coached Australia from 1986 to 1996 and under his firm and steady guidance, Australia won the 1987 World Cup, four Ashes campaigns and in 1995 the Frank Worrell Trophy, ending a 17-year drought against the West Indies. Cricket Australia said the Australian team will pay tribute to Simpson with a moment's silence before Saturday night's one-day international against South Africa at Cairns in northern Australia and will also wear black armbands. Simpson made his test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1957, and his first century came in an Ashes test at Old Trafford in 1964, when Simpson went on to score 311. He is one of only seven Australians to make a triple-century. He was also one of the greatest slip-fielders, taking 110 catches. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the first to pay tribute to Simpson. 'Bob Simpson's extraordinary service to Australian cricket spanned generations. As a player, captain and then era-defining coach, he set the highest standards for himself and the champions he led,' Albanese wrote on X. 'He will be long remembered by the game he loved. May he rest in peace.' Simpson was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2013. 'As a brilliant opening batter, incredible slips fielder and handy spin bowler, Bob was a mainstay of a very strong Australian team in the 1960s, and he became a leader across the game as Australian and New South Wales captain and as a coach.' Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird said in a statement. 'Bob's decision to come out of retirement to successfully lead the Australian team during the advent of World Series cricket in 1977 was a wonderful service to the game, and his coaching set the foundation for a golden era for Australian cricket.' ___ AP cricket:
