Soccer-Popovic's Australia perfect the art of qualifying ugly

The Star

2 days ago

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group C - Japan v Australia - Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan - October 15, 2024 Australia coach Tony Popovic before the match. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Tony Popovic would not deny that his Australia team are tough to watch at times but the former centre half has done what he was brought in to do and taken them to the brink of qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
The Socceroos were distinctly second best to an understrength Japan in Perth on Thursday but Aziz Behich's late winner means they only have to avoid a 5-0 loss to Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Tuesday to punch their ticket.
"It was a special, special night," Popovic told reporters. "The outpouring of emotions when we scored, and obviously after the game, yeah, they are moments I'll always remember.
"We've all played a part in getting us to this point, and we want to go to Saudi Arabia now and really finish the job off."
Saudi Arabia was the site of Popovic's greatest triumph as a club coach in 2014, when his Western Sydney Wanderers team drew 0-0 with powerhouse Al Hilal in Riyadh to become Asian champions in only the second year of the club's existence.
It was partly that continental experience that encouraged Football Australia to bring Popovic in as coach last September when Graham Arnold quit with the World Cup qualification in trouble.
The football has not always been pretty but the Socceroos are unbeaten since he took over with four wins and three draws, having conceded just five goals and scored 14 in the seven games.
Popovic acknowledged there was plenty of room for improvement but said the seconds before Behich's goal proved there was already a strong platform of resilience to build on.
"Although football wise, we need to get better, and we will get better, but in that moment, the 90th minute, we had six players in the box, six players trying to score a goal," he said.
"We were tough, we kept a clean sheet, and we've done something that many Australian sides have found hard to do."
Australia had not beaten Asian powerhouse Japan in 10 games going back to 2009 before Thursday night and Popovic said that achievement should not be underestimated.
"I understand why, now that I'm in this role, why it's hard to beat Japan," he said.
"They are the best, and we want to challenge them to be the best, so we shouldn't shy away from that, and hopefully today, we take a big step forward knowing we can beat Japan."
Despite the emotion of the last-gasp victory, Popovic said there was no danger of any complacency ahead of Tuesday's clash at King Abdullah Sports City.
"It's been a really intense period since I've come in but everyone's embraced what we're aiming to do. And we're very close now to achieving our goal," he said.
"We need to do a job in Saudi. We're in a great position, but we have to finish it off."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Michael Perry)