It’s not how, it’s how many. Australia were far from their best against Saudi Arabia in Adelaide on Thursday night but they did enough to earn the three points that keep alive their hopes for automatic qualification for Russia 2018.
Two poacher’s goals from Tomi Juric and a screamer from Tom Rogic papered over the cracks of the latest unflattering performance from the Asian Cup holders. Despite scoring inside five minutes, Australia were lucky to be level at half-time, and despite dominating the second term they failed to secure the two-goal cushion that would have seen them leapfrog their Group B opponents on goal difference.
Ange Postecoglou deserves great credit for extracting a much improved second-half performance after a skittish opening term. At the interval Australia were second best and short of options, by the final whistle they could savour a job done, if not necessarily well done.
But for all the praise the coach deserves for his interventions, questions remain about the quality of this iteration of his national side. Notably, the back three again looked unsuited to the task and the attacking set-up lacked the craft and flow of their opponents.
Everything began perfectly. Tomi Juric’s beautifully taken opener rewarded his and his team’s early industry. Whenever a white shirt took possession two or more golden ones immediately swarmed in unison like a gang of pick-pockets. This was the training ground brought to matchday; Ange’s archetype, relentless without the ball and composed with it.
But in the blink of an eye that vim evaporated. The early goal failed to live up to its cliche and instead of settling the confidence of the hosts and forcing the visitors to overreach, it somehow sucked the life out of Australia’s press and the Saudis took control.
The purposeful harrying in the middle and final thirds was replaced by ball-watching and an inability to disrupt play. The equaliser on 22 minutes came as no surprise but the ease with which Australia’s midfield and defence was sliced open by a series of neat passes still exasperated. There was no tackle, no professional foul and no tracking of the runners. It was an indictment on the defensive mindset. Mark Milligan’s value grew in absentia.
The next phase was torturous. Saudi Arabia could have scored three and should have bagged at least one as Australia pondered in possession and looked unable or unwilling to adapt in transition or take the game on in broken play.
Plan A – used agonisingly often to reset – involved Trent Sainsbury, in front of his own D, feeding Aaron Mooy who then looked for Tom Rogic. It seldom worked and around them there was a lack of appetite or freedom of thought to interpret the game on the run. Time and again in this increasingly long and winding road to Russia players have declined opportunities to take responsibility. Again in Adelaide there were too many passengers and too few influencers. Everything productive Australia tried had the fingerprints of Rogic or Mooy on it. They cannot be relied upon to deliver indefinitely.
Rogic was excellent on his return to the side and his goal lit up the night. Jackson Irvine was anonymous alongside him in his advanced midfield role and his lack of impact highlighted the benefit to this system of someone like James Troisi, one of this country’s few risk takers. Troisi is a low-percentage option, shooting often and scoring rarely, but he brings an impetus to games, an unpredictability that such a predictable team could benefit from.
Defensively Saudi Arabia were a shambles, conceding two poor goals and at risk throughout of shipping more, but going forward their nimble combinations were everything Postecoglou’s sides aspire to be. Yahia Al Shehri, Mohammed Al Sahlawi and Salem Al Dawsari in particular all displayed excellent technique allied with a game awareness that allowed them to keep the ball moving with one touch, probing space, keeping defenders on the turn.
Postecoglou has stated, admirably, that he is not managing a team whose intention is merely to qualify for the World Cup, but to go to Russia and win it. On current form, that remains wishful thinking, but you have to be in it to win it, and a second win in a row after four spirit-sapping draws, is not to be sneezed at. Next up, the small matter of Japan away.
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