And here’s Paul Connolly’s match report from AAMI Park:
Ange Postecoglou says: “It’s frustrating because the team and the players deserve more than that and it can be a cruel game at times. They did everything they could but in the end it wasn’t meant to be. We’ve hit the post three times, had a couple cleared off the line, but it is a game of inches. I can’t fault the boys tonight, they’ve done everything I asked of them … we were just missing a little bit of luck.”
Updated
Final thoughts
Well this is weird. The Socceroos have absolutely battered Thailand and could have won by more - yet is anyone entirely surprised by the result? They’ve played well on many occasions over the last few months but they just struggle to put teams away. A tight win was always on the cards - and for a couple of minutes it seriously looked like it could have been worse. Is the coach at fault, or are the Socceroos just short of a truly top-class finisher? I’m sure there’ll be a few pub debates over it tonight.
Of course, it means they’re now at the mercy of Japan in Jeddah. If the Samurai Blue get a result against Saudi Arabia, the Socceroos go through. If Saudi Arabia pick up three points, it’s the dreaded play-offs again. I suspect Saudi Arabia will do what they need to do, but as we’ve seen tonight, this game can throw you a curveball at a moment’s notice.
Alright, that’s it from me. It looks like there’s a long night ahead for the diehards. Catch you next time.
Full-time: Australia 2-1 Thailand
Well it’s all over. I’m not sure which team has been put out of its misery. Neither side will be particularly happy with the result, but nor will they be able to find much fault with their performances. The Socceroos bombarded Thailand but the visitors defended as if their lives depended on it.
Updated
90+2mins: Leckie forces the keeper into a low save. The Socceroos still going for it. One last corner.
90+1mins: I might be missing something, but unless the Socceroos think they can score two goals, is there any point in pushing so many men forward? It’s certainly giving Thailand hope of nicking something.
90 mins: Time is almost up as Thailand make the final change - Do off for Tossakari.
88 mins: Goal difference seems a bit moot now, although the Socceroos are still attacking. Troisi fires one straight at the keeper. All eyes turning to Jeddah...
87 mins: Juric! Oh dear, he heads it wide from a great position - but it had already gone out anyway before the ball was delivered.
Updated
GOAL! Australia 2-1 Thailand
86 mins: Another corner, it falls to Leckie - who rams it past the men on the line. Australia breathe again.
Updated
85 mins: Troisi fires one just wide in an immediate response. The Socceroos have been stunned. Will they get a winner? Considering how wasteful they’ve been, I wouldn’t put money on it. They get another corner.
GOAL! Australia 1-1 Thailand
81 mins: Amazing stuff. Thailand are level again - a close-range finish from Pokklaw Anan. This is embarrassing for Postecoglou.
Updated
79 mins: A goalmouth scramble and somehow Thailand get it away. Again. Seriously, how are the Socceroos not further ahead?
78 mins: Ooo, now that was nice. Troisi with a little flick that sets up a curling chip just over the crossbar.
76 mins: Cleared off the line! Thailand clinging on. While it’s still one goal they’ll fancy themselves, especially with so much space to exploit in the Australia half. In fact no sooner have I typed that than Thailand almost open up Australia. Some woeful decision making by the Socceroos at the back.
75 mins: Rogic forces a sharp save from the keeper. Corner to the Socceroos.
71 mins: Did someone say ‘floodgates’? Well if they did it’s a tad premature, although that goal will have disheartened Thailand. Wright comes off for Maclaren. The Socceroos still looking for more goals. Quite right too.
GOAL! Australia 1-0 Thailand
69 mins: About flaming time! Mooy picks out the run of Juric, who glances it past the keeper from close range.
Updated
68 mins: They’ve hit the post again! Rogic this time. I’ll admit I thought that one was in. A curling effort bounces off the woodwork.
Updated
67 mins: Gersbach off for Troisi. The Socceroos still going for it.
64 mins: The Socceroos are starting to be a bit more patient with their approach. A strange time to do it. Thailand must seriously be thinking they can get something from this now.
62 mins: Less than half an hour to go. As frustrating as it has been for the Socceroos, you have to tip the hat to Thailand. If they’re playing for pride they’ve already won.
60 mins: Another brilliant piece of defending to deny the Socceroos, this time a sliding tackle to cut out a cross into the box. Gersbach gets a strike away from the resulting corner but it was never going through that mass of legs.
58 mins: Rogic with a curling effort straight down the keeper’s throat. A fairly simple one for him to deal with. The Socceroos have wracked up 20 shots now.
Updated
57 mins: Cahill comes off for Kruse. Timmy’s not the spring chicken he once was. He still has the spring though.
56 mins: A glancing header from Juric falls safely into the keeper’s hands. A tame one but it adds up on the shot count.
55 mins: A lot has been made of the Thai defence but hats off to their fowards who have been running themselves into the ground, even if it’s just to give their defence a break. Those little two-minute spells are invaluable for tired defenders.
53 mins: Mooy with a shot from a lay-off, but it flies wide. More frustration for the Socceroos as they push and probe at this defence. Thailand defending very deep now.
Me when the Socceroos are fouled: THIS MUST BE AVENGED.
— Jen Dudley-Nicholson (@jendudley) September 5, 2017
Me when the Socceroos get away with a foul: *oopsies* #AUSvTHA
50 mins: Apart from that Sainsbury challenge, this half already has a familiar feel to it. Another corner for the Socceroos. Mooy fires it in but the Thai defence holds up.
48 mins: The replays make that challenge by Sainsbury look even more reckless. I think it helped that he got a touch on the ball but, from that position, it was incredibly risky. The Socceroos breathe again.
47 mins: Blimey, it’s all happening. First a “desperate” challenge from behind by Sainsbury in the box. The referee could easily have given a penalty there. Rogic goes up the other end and stings the keeper’s palms.
Second half
46 mins: Here we go again. The mission is still the same for the Socceroos, they’ve just got half the time to do it in. What do you do in Ange’s shoes? It’s hard to pick fault with how they’ve attacked this game - they just haven’t finished off their openings. And I can’t see anyone on the bench who would be that much better.
Updated
“Sigh... I miss the days of Archie Thompson vs American Samoa,” says Dane Barcley. “Perhaps Oceania is more our style these days.”
“Evening Richard,” writes Phil Withall “It’s not often that I quote Avril Lavigne but the line ‘Why’d you have to make things so complicated’ springs to mind. Australia need to slow things down and make shooting decisions earlier than they are. Possession and pass stats are all well and good but it ain’t going to win this match.”
All hail the oracle Avril. There’s definitely a case for the Socceroos making one pass too many when they’re in the danger area. I’m not convinced by this Thai keeper either, although his defenders have been excellent. A few more early shots or bouncing balls might ask some serious questions.
Half-time: Australia 0-0 Thailand
And there we have it. All square at half-time and a few, admittedly subdued, boos in Melbourne. It’s not been for want of trying but the Socceroos are being held by Thailand. Catch you in 15.
Updated
44 mins: Ryan comes charging out of his area to cut out a counter-attack and makes a classic keeper’s tackle on Dangda - free-kick, and lucky not to get a booking. He didn’t have much choice though. And now Thailand are finishing with a flourish.
42 mins: They must be loving this in Saudi Arabia. As predicted, the Socceroos are on well on top but the odds of a big win are getting longer and longer with every passing minute. I still fancy them to win it, just not by the margin they want... unless they can grab something before half-time. They’ve certainly had enough stabs at it.
41 mins: Juric chests it down in the box, turns and ... hits it into the outstretched boot of the defender. Another chance, another miss - good defending though.
Updated
40 mins: Well it was a better effort than Juric’s but Do’s shot is still barely worth the effort of moving for Ryan. Over it goes.
39 mins: Free-kick to Thailand at the other end. Wright gets booked for his trouble.
37 mins: Dear me. Juric smashes the free-kick well over the wall. Awful stuff.
Updated
34 mins: Well it’s been one-way traffic for almost the whole half. Another corner, Mooy swings it in and the keeper catches it for once. Overjoyed, he runs forward and accidentally gives away a handball on the edge of the box - the replays seem to suggest it was the wrong call by the ref. Dangerous territory.
Updated
31 mins: Mooy swings in another corner and the goalkeeper is all over the shop. It bounces off an unsuspecting Wright at the back post and goes for a goal-kick. If only that had been Cahill.
Updated
29 mins: I still think Mooy is the man who can for Australia. Some of his passing has been a little off but he’s so sharp when it comes to picking out space and runs. This time he finds Leckie free in the box but again it comes to nothing. An hour left. Tick tock, tick tock...
Updated
27 mins: Mooy with a free-kick... it loops up and over the wall but doesn’t come down quick enough to seriously trouble the goalkeeper as it skims the top of the netting.
26 mins: Corner for Australia this time, Mooy working a bit of trickery but not quite beating his man. It’s swung in, headed down, and Milligan can only hit a defender from close range.
Updated
25 mins: Corner to Thailand. It’s fired in a little too hard and is headed out for a goal-kick.
24 mins: Booking for Notechaiya... for delaying taking a throw. That’s possibly the earliest I’ve seen someone booked for, essentially, time-wasting.
23 mins: Cahill on the turn from close range but it’s high, wide and not so handsome. Another half-chance goes by.
21 mins: It’s hard to fault Australia’s approach so far but despite Cahill, Rogic, Juric, Mooy etc all on the pitch at the same time, that killer instinct seems to elude them. Another corner for the hosts.
20 mins: I hate to say it so early in the game, but the Socceroos really need to start putting away these chances. We’ve seen it all campaign, getting into good spaces but not making the most of them. The longer this goes on the more pressure the Socceroos will feel.
18 mins: Ooooyah! The Socceroos hit the woodwork again, Cahill this time with a low drill that cannons off the inside of the post. Moments later Mooy forces the keeper into a diving effort. Pressure building up!
16 mins: Thailand still look dangerous on the break, possibly because Australia are pumping so many men forward. The fact the visitors are willing to attack isn’t necessarily the worst news for the Socceroos, although they’re still struggling to get a clear sight at goal. I’m not convinced by the Thai keeper though. He punches away a low shot that he surely could have smothered.
14 mins: Nice work from Gersbach to cut out a counter-attack. The Socceroos go straight up the other end and Mooy lays it on to Rogic who fires it goalwards. The keeper spills it... but it rolls to safety. Good stuff.
12 mins: Hmm, the Socceroos waste another good opportunity there - Leckie choosing the wrong option after finding himself free in the box, only to pass it straight to the opposition. He had time too. It’s not going to be one of those nights is it?
10 mins: Dangda lets fly from distance... and it skews wide. Not sure Ryan would have reached that had it been on target. Warning sign for the Socceroos.
8 mins: Oooof! Mooy hits the woodwork after some more good work from Leckie to lose his man and lay it off in the box. This is exactly the sort of start Postecoglou would have wanted. Still no goal but early days.
6 mins: An early corner, Leckie causing problems on the right. In comes the ball and it finds the head of Wright, who loops it back into the box... but it comes to nothing.
5 mins: Rogic with a nice little run and lay off but it comes to nothing. The Socceroos have started well - an early goal would cap it off, but you can’t have everything.
3 mins: First chance falls to Juric... but he can’t get it on target under pressure in the box. Good touch from Leckie to set it up. Promising start.
Kick-off
1 min: Aaaaand we’re off. Here we go then, hopefully all-guns blazing from the Socceroos - down in a blaze of glory and all that. Unsurprisingly, the hosts have had most of the ball in the opening exchanges.
A sombre minute’s silence to remember some recent deaths linked to both sides, not least Mike Cockerill last week.
Updated
That’s the anthems over. Not long now folks. Anyone else remember that game that when England had to batter San Marino - and they promptly conceded in the opening few seconds? I bet Stuart Pearce does.
Updated
“6 - 0 to the boys in gold,” writes Martin Turnbull. “Dreamt it last night, so must come true. Of course the dream about the Lotto win failed, so maybe don’t take my word for it.”
That’s the spirit Martin. I dreamt I single-handedly beat Liverpool 2-0 last week (it was literally just me against them). I suspect your imaginings maybe slightly more grounded in reality than mine.
Updated
The Mooy factor
The surprise absence of Aaron “Look At” Mooy for the Japan game was undoubtedly a big blow, not least for yours truly who had already pre-written a piece about his combination with Rogic in midfield that I duly had to scrap. Very selfish of him. Would his inclusion have made a big difference? I’m not convinced it would - Japan were just the better side on the night and he may well have been crowded out in midfield. Against Thailand, though, his ability to pick out a killer through-ball could prove vital if the visitors defend deep. It’s good to see him back in the starting XI where he belongs.
Team news
Starting lineups for Australia vs Thailand! #AUSvTHA #WCQ2018 #RoadToRussia pic.twitter.com/19PeDnVETc
— The-AFC.com (@theafcdotcom) September 5, 2017
Before we go any further, here are the line-ups for tonight - and it seems Ange Postecoglou may have been fibbing slightly when he said this week that he wouldn’t go all gung-ho for goals. The big news is Cahill starts, as do Mooy and Juric. Smith seems to have paid the price for the mistake that led to the opening goal for Japan. In come Gersbach and Degenek. Very interesting Mr Postecoglou.
Do Australia have the firepower to win big?
Ahh there’s the rub. Let’s just say the threat of Australia’s attacking arsenal during this campaign hasn’t exactly warranted a “fire and fury” response from Donald Trump. The Socceroos have only managed to score three goals once during this stage of qualification and the last time they played Thailand they could only muster a 2-2 draw. That said, the match conditions tonight are vastly different to the November heat of Bangkok and Thailand have twice conceded four goals in a game on their travels this campaign. However, both those defeats came under previous manager Kiatisuk Senamuang, whereas current coach Milovan Rajevac has a reputation for being more defensive minded. It could be a long, long night for the Socceroos if he decides to throw up a defensive wall. Unless Tomi Juric turns up on an ice dragon.
Saudi Arabia v Japan
To stretch the already dodgy Mayweather-McGregor comparison even further, this game is very much on the undercard of tonight’s billing - the Gervonta Davis v Francisco Fonseca of World Cup qualifiers, if you will - with the Socceroos’ fate entirely dependent on what happens in Jeddah later tonight. Unless my maths is way off, even if Australia lose tonight, technically they could still go through automatically, so long as Japan hammer Saudi Arabia. That won’t happen though, so if Australia do lose, don’t say Gadsby at the Guardian got your hopes up. As a general rule of thumb, Australia have to get a better result than Saudi Arabia - and if they both win, then the Socceroos will have to win by at least a couple more goals.
Preamble
Evening everyone, well here we go again – the Socceroos get a second bite at the sweet cherry of World Cup qualification in a matter of days, but in a Freaky Friday Tuesday-style reversal, the circumstances could not be more different. In the game against Japan on Thursday, avoiding defeat against an AFC heavyweight was the quick route to Russia. They blew it. And so tonight we have the flipside, where the new objective is to hand out a damn good thrashing to a perceived AFC minnow. Sounds simple enough, right?
Well while only the most cynical Socceroos supporter or one-eyed Thai fan would bet their baht on anything other than an Aussie victory, just like the Mayweather-McGregor fight, it’s not really a question of who’s going to win, it’s a question of how convincingly they do it. And the Socceroos have been about as convincing up front as that woman from the marriage equality ad who reckons her son was told to wear a dress at school.
Anyway, enough of my cynicism. For a more nuanced explanation of how the Socceroos can qualify for the World Cup tonight, have a look at Paul Connolly’s article here. Suffice to say, they need to win by a healthy margin - three goals at least, but preferably more to really ramp up the pressure on Saudi Arabia for their game against Japan later tonight. More on that in a second.
Richard will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s exactly what the Socceroos have to do tonight:
