Final thought: A match that seemed eminently winnable for Australia eventually turned into a save, as Iraq stormed home in the second half to leave honours even.
The fixture had all the hallmarks of the type of tough, Asian scrap we’ve come to expect, but none of that should serve as an excuse. While Australia displayed a little more quality and sophistication in attack, they were matched by the industry and fight of Iraq, who were particularly well served by their striker Abdulraheem. He looked dangerous all game and unlucky not to come away with a goal.
After a helter-skelter opening period Australia eventually seized control of the first half, and soon after Leckie had the visitors ahead with a powerful header courtesy of an inswinging Mooy corner. It started their best passage in the game, and they might come to rue some wastefulness late in the half, where Kruse in particular had a decent chance that he should have done better with.
That’s not to say Iraq didn’t stay with them. Fluffing a few of their own lines early, they emerged in the second half full of steam, with the clearest chances falling to them. Australia will be thankful to Mitch Langerak who kept them in the game with some fine saves - indeed it’s arguable that the result could well have been worse. Iraq eventually found their equaliser after a beautiful ball from Ali Adnan found Yasin at the back post - he made no mistake. From there the game returned to its helter-skelter roots, if only with a little tiredness on both sides.
With 60-odd spots separating these two in the FIFA rankings, it would be easy to explain tonight’s result through the prism of pitch and conditions. The truth may be a little harsher for Australia though, who never really appeared comfortable coping with a direct Iraq attack that looked close all night. If there’s any area to tighten, Postecoglou would do well to look at Australia’s rearguard before anything else.
It now leaves them dangling on the precipice of qualification. With three of the final four fixtures occurring at home, they’ll be needing to pick up maximum points to assure themselves of that saloon passage they crave. They take on the UAE on Tuesday in a match that shapes as a must-win.
For all who joined, wherever you were, thanks for tuning in. Catch you next time on this, the esteemed Guardian live blog.
Updated
FULLTIME: Australia 1 - 1 Iraq
After a little bit of confusion, the referee blows full time and brings down the curtain on a rough and tumble World Cup Qualifier in Tehran. Some thoughts to follow.
92 min Ali Adnan tries to curl one in from the edge of the area but it’s blocked. That will probably be it.
Three minutes of added time. Our poor Iraqi official has nearly lost his voice. Australia are in Iraq’s corner with a throw in but they lose possession. Seems both sides are open to a point or a win. There’s no clear aggressor.
89 min Australia conjure a corner and Hameed strays mightily from his area to clear. It leaves him stranded as Australia try to loop the ball back in but it’s cleared off the line! Tense. It’s tense.
87 min The corner crosses the byline anticlimactically, but it seems Australia will do to get out with a point here. We approach the 90th minute with Australian backs to the wall. Will Cahill have anything to say? He normally does.
Updated
86 min ‘Heart’s in mouths!’ says Simon Hill as another goalmouth scramble sees the ball struck then rebounded then rebounded again against legs and ankles and feet. Exceptionally tense moments for the Socceroos who look out on their feet. Another counter for Iraq is repelled, and there’s a corner.
85 min A scramble in the box before Australia clear, courtesy of a ball left through Abdulraheem’s legs. They survive.
84 min Mooy allows Smith some space down the left as Australia powers forward. As with a number of the balls in today, he succeeds only in slicing it over the keeper. Time getting away from Australia now.
82 min Have avoided calling it out until now but there’s an Iraqi official barking madly and it’s coming through the audio with more clarity than the commentators. Most of the time he seems ill at ease. Why would you, I suppose? The stakes are high.
Substitution: Irvine off, Troisi on
80 min Milligan clashes with Abdulraheem as last man and concedes the free kick. The Iraqi’s contend for more than the yellow card he’s shown. Ali Adnan blasts the free kick well over the bar. It remains 1-1.
78 min Leckie gets absolutely clattered but no card is shown, as we contemplate a curious scenario. Iraq need a win, Australia possibly less so. Will that influence both sides’ approach in the final 15 or so minutes?
GOAL! Australia 1 - 1 Iraq (Yasin)
A super ball from Ali Adnan dances invitingly across the line of Langerak and Yasin is at the back post to prod the ball home. That makes it 1-1 with 13 minutes of regular time to go. Iraq deserved that, and it sets up a scintillating final few minutes. A draw does neither side much good.
Updated
74 min The ball is cleared by Australia but the follow-up sees a number of claims for handball. The referee is unmoved. The Australian commentators agree it was a penalty. ‘Bullet dodged’ says Andy Harper.
73 min Cahill is wearing a gold, skins undershirt to match his guernsey. Meanwhile Luongo gives away a free kick in deliverable territory for Iraq. It will be a left-footed in-swinger.
Substitution: Juric off, Cahill on
70 min Another quieter phase of Australian possession suggests Postecoglou’s removal of Kruse has worked pretty well. Alternatively, players may just be tired. We see Tim Cahill warming up. Juric will probably make way.
66 min Slight sense that Australia have decided to firm up their defence before they launch forward. They repel a few meek Iraq forays without much of an out-ball to regain them possession. It’s an understandable approach after the Lions of Mesopotamia asked a great many questions immediately after half time.
64 min An extended phase of ball retention from Australia, who build play nicely through Smith. The ball eventually rolls out to Mooy, who’s shot is deflected for a corner. One of the rare examples of extended build up here - possibly pitch-related, possibly skill-related.
Substitution: Kruse off, Smith on. Twitter called for it, and they got it. Smith should harden up the defensive shape as Iraq continue to bang the door down. Feels like there’s another goal in this.
60 min Corner Iraq, and Ibrahim gets a great piece of it! Langerak makes an outstanding save to his left and Iraq somehow remains goalless. That’s the closest Iraq have come tonight. Langerak is having an excellent game.
58 min In keeping with the general pattern of things, now Iraq have a chance. Kruse fouls his man on the left edge, leading to a free kick that comes to nothing. Still, Iraq look much more likely this half, with little sign Australia is able to close them down.
56 min Kruse speeds past his man and hits another ball across goal but he can’t beat the first man. He’s finding good areas, Kruse, but the end product has lacked quality.
54 min Now a chance for Iraq goes begging! Truly end-to-end here. A pinpoint cross comes in from the right and it finds a free, willing, but not able Abdulhameed, who directs the header away from goal in one of those unfortunate circumstances where it might have been easier to hit the target than miss. Could easily have been 1-1.
52 min Chance goes begging! Australia stream down the field in an attack that sees Kruse deliver low from the right across goal. Mooy can’t make contact, nor can Juric. There were boots and arms flaying everywhere, but it comes to nought. Goal kick.
51 min Iraq maneuverer in behind Australia’s left flank toward the byline and cut the ball back when the ball across goal may have been the better option. Australia clears comfortably. Iraq building something here.
49 min Jackson Irvine has acres of space on Iraq’s left flank. It’s been a recurring theme for the Australian, who’s been really impressive here. On this occasion though his cross floats straight into Hameed’s hands. To make matters worse (or better), it triggers an Iraq counter that almost results in a one-on-one between Langerak and Abdulraheem. Alas, he was offside.
45 min Australia kick off and Juric just runs straight at the Iraq defence ala Mark Lee in the final scene of Gallipoli. It was the same, result, metaphorically.
For the uninitiated. An explainer on WC qualification. ‘Hi Sam’, Toby from Rozelle writes. ‘Can you please explain to us lowly viewers how the qualification works? Top 2 from each group go through? And third place from each group play off with the winner playing v concacafafcf?’
You nailed it, Toby - minus the spelling of CONCACAF (there’s something cathartic about writing it in CAPS, too. But I digress). Asia receives 4.5 spots in the World Cup, with the fifth placed team vying desperately for qualification against a South American giant. It’s scary, very scary, but then again can give way to one of the greatest sporting moments a nation can experience.
Halftime: Australia 1-0 Iraq
It was fairly streaky for the most part, but Australia gradually took control. On a very damp, bumpy surface, both sides conjured opportunities to score as the ball bypassed both midfield’s with worrying ease. Postecoglou’s grim expression under a soaked jacket said it all, before eventually his side started to exert some dominance. Each of Mooy, Irvine and Leckie have looked threatening when on the ball, even if the former was a fraction loose early on. It was his fierce corner after a sustained period of attack that found the rising Leckie to give Australia the advantage, and they went in search of a second soon after.
For Iraq, Abdulraheem looks equally dangerous when close to goal, though he does appear their primary outlet. They’re taking any opportunity they have to play diagonal balls over the top from the left, and it appears a fair tactic thus far, as their talisman has managed to get on the end of a few.
The first fifteen minutes will reveal Postecoglou’s outlook on the remainder of the game. One senses he’ll need more than one goal to emerge with the three points, given how open the first half was. Iraq will rightly feel that they remain a huge chance of taking something from this in order to keep their exceptionally slim World Cup hopes alive.
As ever, welcoming your thoughts during the break and beyond, as Australia look to take another step towards Russia.
44 min Beautiful interchange of passing between Australia’s front six - of the one-touch, swivel, no-look caper, and it falls to Juric. He shoots high and wide but it was the best sequence Australia’s produced thus far. They look likely.
42 min Free kick to Australia after nice work from Irvine. It’s in a great position. Mooy’s about 28 yards out, directly in front, but he hammers it straight into the wall. It emerges scrappily and falls to Milligan who sprays in wide. Huge pressure on Iraq here heading into the break.
40 min Juric feeds a sumptuous ball through to Kruse who looks to beat Iraq’s last man, but he can’t. Nearly two-nil there.
GOAL! Australia 1 - 0 Iraq (Leckie, 39)
And there it is! Another Australian corner is curled in by Mooy, this time a little flatter than his previous efforts. Leckie, who has a relatively poor games-to-goals ratio, leaps unmarked and heads powerfully past Hameed. That will settle Australia.
37 min Sustained attack from Australia here, successive corners parried away for yet more corners. Something feels imminent here.
35 min Juric is brought down on the edge of the area but play is waved on. It’s been fairly open slather until now so it’s in keeping with the game’s pattern. Australia earn a corner anyway but Hameed, again, intercepts and collects.
31 min Leckie finds a one-on-one on Iraq’s left and deftly beats his man with a couple of stepovers. He feeds Mooy who powerfully strikes a daisy cutter towards the far post. Hameed as able to get across and make the save. Still unnervingly open here, feels as though neither side has settled. A very jolty rhythm to the match so far.
29 min We breathe as there’s at least three minutes without bewildering space and a shot on goal. Fair to say neither manager would be too happy with their screen at the moment. It’s all a bit streaky. As I type this Kruse crosses in with three men waiting, but it flies over them all. The traffic jam outside continues, though.
26 min It’s Irvine with a snatch shot from the edge of the area now and it’s tipped over by Hameed. Mooy’s ensuing corner is deep and much more easily collected by the Iraqi keeper.
24 min Back in Iraq’s area now and did Leckie have a shout at a penalty there? It always seems strange when the ball is being played away from goal, but he seemed to be collected late there. He stays down while the match plays on.
23 min Australia under siege now. Another ball comes in from the left and Kalaf is alone with only Langerak to beat. Langerak rushes to cover the angle and Kalaf clumsily dinks it over the bar. Best chance of the match.
21 min It’s Iraq’s turn now. An awkward ball into the Australian area almost sees Abdulraheem on the end of it, but Milligan intervenes in the nick of time. Corner to Iraq - Langerak punches clear.
20 min Nice feet from Leckie affords Mooy some room on Iraq’s left but the Championship Team of the Year midfielder’s ball is easily read at the back, and it comes to nothing. Some wasteful moments from Mooy, but he’s finding opportunities.
17 mins Abdulraheem is at it again, this time forcing an excellent save from Langerak who moved sharply to his left to get a strong hand on the low shot. It’s not quite been end to end as yet but there’s openings for both sides here.
14 min Luongo, who carries the ball from the centre some distance, manages to thread between Iraq lines to Jackson Irvine down the right. Irvine in-turn delivers a low ball across goal and it’s briefly spilled by Iraq’s keeper before he regathers.
12 min Luongo finds a little bit of space on the left and shapes to curl it in. He miscues it though and it sails over the bar. Encouraging space for the Australians.
11 min Mooy works a neat one-two with Irvine - it takes him to the byline and he cuts it back into that corridor of uncertainty. Iraq manages to clear.
8 min Sainsbury tries a diagonal from deep but it triggers a counter from Iraq. A neat backheel in midfield is followed by a sweeping pass forward but Abdulraheem blasts over. Warning signs for Australia.
4 min Mooy’s already had a couple of nice touches on the ball as Australia start to control possession. There’s enough ball deviation and players slipping over though to suggest that anything approaching tiki-taka will be hard to sustain. Leckie turns the ball over and briefly gives Iraq flank some space but the counter comes to nothing.
1 min A dull drone greets both players. It sounds like there’s a belting traffic jam outside the stadium. The ball pings back and forth with no real outcome.
The players are out there. Australia, as is custom, is first to receive their anthem. The low drone of gruff Australian voices provide an appropriate chorus to the tinny recording that echoes through the ground. It’s the same ambience that greets the home team’s anthem, to be fair. Iraq look tall and stern. We’ll be underway shortly.
He’s also put the squad on notice. Most notably, Mat Ryan finds himself ousted for Mitch Langerak. Murphysinfinland, who’s written in, likes it too. ‘Support dropping of Ryan,’ he says. ‘Made some howlers in Brazil and got off light.’ It’s a wet old day at the PUS stadium in Tehran, the venue for today. Maybe Ryan’s feet are of no use given the conditions.
Wow. Ange has read the riot act with selection. This @Socceroos squad officially on notice. #IRQvAUS
— Francis Leach (@SaintFrankly) March 23, 2017
Postecoglou’s shaken up the formation. There’s nail’s being chewed all over Twitter in response to Postecoglou’s formation tonight. Some are saying it’s 3-4-3, it’s officially listed as a 4-2-3-1. Three at the back certainly seems the fashion right now, but we won’t really know the setup until we see the players out there. Whatever the case, you have to hand it to Postecoglou for his enterprise. He consistently sets his team up to play with some ambition, and that seems to be the case here. Kick off in ten minutes.
It's a three-man Socceroos defence. Ange has shaken things up big time. Brand new formation. Call it a 3-2-3-1 or 3-4-3. I dunno. #IRQvAUS
— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) March 23, 2017
Team News - Iraq
Elim #AFC - #Rusia2018 | 3ra Ronda - Grupo B#Iraq vs #Australia
— Fútbol de Naciones (@FutboldNaciones) March 23, 2017
Formaciones confirmadas a menos de 30 minutos del comienzo#IRQvAUS pic.twitter.com/CaEJIAzqUw
Team News - Australia
Something different. #IRQvAUS
— Caltex Socceroos (@Socceroos) March 23, 2017
🇮🇶 v 🇦🇺
⏰: 11.00pm AEDT kick-off
📺: @9Go and @FOXSportsAus 505 pic.twitter.com/gCAhWCAtZd
Preamble
Afternoon, evening, or morning all and welcome to our blow-by-blow coverage of this legitimately crucial WC Qualifier between Australia and Iraq. I’ve just paced to my blogging HQ in Dollis Hill, London, of all places. On the tube I saw back pages filled with comical accounts of last night’s friendly between Germany and England, won 1-0 by Germany. Whereas that was as meaningless a friendly as could have been conjured, this fixture, in contrast, carries decent weight.
Ange Postecoglou’s side teeter on the brink of World Cup qualification heading into this clash, and they face an unpredictable Iraq outfit fresh from a 1-0 friendly victory over Iran. For the Socceroos, the match has all the hallmarks of (cliche klaxon coming) a real banana skin - a bullish opponent, a far flung venue, and, it would appear, a fairly poor playing surface. Did I hear someone say ‘smash and grab’? No, I don’t think I did.
Win, and the green and gold will have steadied the ship. Anything else, and we (they) may have to start considering the reality of that perilous route through CONCACAF.
If you’re with me through the match, hit me with your thoughts, protestations, and dubious XG ratings via email at sam.perry.freelance@guardian.co.uk or on the Twitter/idiot machine @sjjperry. Team news next.
Sam will be here shortly. In the meantime, have a read of John Davidson’s interview with Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine.
