John Davidson's match report
Syria and Australia level as Asia's World Cup qualification finale heads to Sydney
The penalty that handed Syria a late draw against Australia in Melaka may have been questionable, but make no mistake: this was not a freak result. Despite leading for most of the game, the Socceroos failed to take control of the Fifa World Cup qualification play-off on Thursday night and Syria’s potent attacking threat ultimately found a deserved equaliser.
Australia now travel to Sydney with a slender advantage - the Socceroos have an away goal and the benefit of a home-ground second leg on Tuesday evening - but Syria remain very much in this tie. Whatever your political opinion, whether the Qasioun Eagles are 2017’s sporting feel-good story or puppets of the Assad regime, they have performed admirably throughout qualification and will feel quietly confident of securing an upset at ANZ Stadium.
For the Socceroos, surprise additions to the line-up Josh Risdon and Matt Jurman both justified their selection, while Aaron Mooy had a commanding performance in midfield. Robbie Kruse scored a goal to celebrate his birthday, but was otherwise underwhelming. Omar Al Soma was easily Syria’s best player, threatening the Australian defence all evening, while late substitute Firas Al Khatib (wearing amusingly short shorts) added attacking impetus.
Thanks for following along, wherever you are in the world. I will be live blogging the Australian A-League season opener tomorrow evening (Australian time), if you’d care to join me again. Until then, thanks for your company and correspondence!
Updated
The late penalty that handed Syria a draw tonight and sent Australia back to Sydney with their World Cup qualification hopes hanging precariously in the balance.
Many thanks to all who emailed in or sent over tweets during the game tonight. Apologies to those whose correspondence I neglected - I have just realised that a number of emails ended up in my Spam folder. Oops!
Full-time: Syria 1 - 1 Australia
90+5 min: The referee brings proceedings to an end. Syria will be the happier of the teams with that 1-1 draw, but Australia can still be confident of progressing to the final stage of World Cup qualifying with the return leg in Sydney next week. Stay tuned for some post-match analysis.
Hopefully there will be a few more fans in attendance for the return leg in Sydney next week.
90 min: Mat Ryan pulls out one of the saves of the game to prevent Syria taking the lead, as we head into stoppage time. The Syrians with all the momentum.
More Twitter analysis:
#SYRvAUS pic.twitter.com/LbOhtDbCjO
— Sam Bush (@SamB7504) October 5, 2017
Road to Russia? More like Road to Ruin #SYRvAUS
— Nick Warland (@NicWarland) October 5, 2017
87 min: Well then. The game is back level, and the Syrian goalkeeper is getting medical attention - perhaps a hint of time wasting? Can either side find a winner in the final minutes? Or will we be heading to Sydney with the tie evenly-poised?
Goal! Syria 1 - 1 Australia
84 min: Omar Al Soma, who won the penalty, duly converts from the spot. 1-1. Plenty of conjecture as to the legitimacy of the penalty, but the scoreline is certainly not undeserved for Syria.
Penalty: Syria
83 min: The referee awards Syria a penalty for an apparent tug in the box, plenty of disagreement from the Australians.
82 min: Ange Postecoglou makes his final substitute - Celtic’s mercurial playmaker Tom Rogic on for the enigmatic Tomi Juric.
Plenty of correspondence coming through about my outrageous suggestion that non-qualification might have an ultimately beneficial effect for Australian football. Qingze Han on Twitter suggests it “would only encourage more reactionary change”, while James Hardcastle is having nothing of my “ridiculous notion”. “Ange Postecoglou has done miracles with the talent he has at his disposal,” Hardcastle writes. “Non-qualification would be a disaster for him, for the players, and for Australia. It would actually reduce investment, attention, opportunities and deflate any sense of progress.”
Sean Smith, who has been following Australian football since SBS started broadcasting it in 1980, concurs: “In the 37 years since, Australian football has always been ‘in turmoil’, ‘riven with factions’, ‘in need of a shock to sort itself out’ - and none of the shocks that duly arrived (not qualifying in 1997, for example), have been enough. In fact, with each shock, the problems get worse.”
77 min: Syria’s veteran striker Firas Al Khatib is subbed on, and immediately makes an impact. Al Soma almost converts an Al Khatib cross - ohh so close. The 34-year-old Al Khatib was born in now war-torn Homs, and for five years boycotted the national team for political reasons.
74 min: QPR’s Massimo Luongo immediately getting himself into the action. Aziz Behich then attempts a cross that looks more like a shot, which bobbles out.
Before I forget - Titus Michaeleus tweeted in earlier with a recommendation to check-out this ESPN article on the Syrian team. Titus described it as “one of the best articles - sporting or otherwise - I’ve read in the last year”. It’s a long-read so perhaps not best consumed mid-game, but open a tab and digest this later tonight or tomorrow. It is well worth your time.
69 min: Syria are really starting to amp up the pressure. This is getting worrying for the Socceroos, who can’t seem to find a safety valve and consolidate their position in the game. Coach Ange Postecoglou pulls goal-scorer Robbie Kruse for Massimo Luongo, a silky smooth midfielder.
Australian striker Tomi Juric in action earlier - Juric hit the post twice in consecutive shots, missed opportunities he might rue if the Syrian attacking push continues.
65 min: Mathew Leckie concedes a free-kick right on the Australian byline. Dangerous territory, but the Syrian free-kick is kept out by Aziz Behich. The ‘Roos then give away another foul.
62 min: Well, what did I tell you (refer to early post) - Nikita Rukavytsya, who has long been in the Australian footballing wilderness, has replaced Josh Risdon. Ruka is now plying his trade with Maccabi Haifa in the Israeli Premier League. This is his first Socceroos appearance in almost fouryears.
60 min: Another opportunity for Syria’s no9, Omar Al Soma. He has been the danger man tonight for the Syrians, and continues to cause difficulties for Australia’s three-man defence.
Some Twitter goodness for you all:
Just in case someone feels like doing a long jump during the game. #SYRvAUS pic.twitter.com/ItQQkqankl
— Les Street (@official_lesdog) October 5, 2017
Kruse's first touch #SYRvAUS pic.twitter.com/kTGkXAJufT
— Steve V (@Fuzz_10) October 5, 2017
Aaron Mooy finding more gaps than Michael Bevan in the last 10 overs of a ODI at the moment. Supreme display. #SYRvAUS
— Daniel Garb (@DanielGarb) October 5, 2017
57 min: Some nice build-up play from the Socceroos results in a long-range strike from Mathew Leckie. Goal-kick for Syria, but improved play from Australia.
Thanks all for the continued correspondence. Adam Phen on Twitter suggests “no real upside if Australia miss the World Cup - Australian football is so fragile it cannot afford to miss out on qualification riches.” Chris Burns adds: “Surely it’s better to go to to Russia 2018 (even getting beaten x 3) than sit at home and watch on TV?”
Greg Benson weighs in over email: “I would argue that with the sport still trying to gain a foothold (no pun intended) on the Australian sporting map, a failure like missing the World Cup after making it three consecutive times would kill any momentum we’ve built up over those three cycles, and set the game back to the dark days of the 1990s and before. Making the World Cup is a bare minimum now for keeping the game relevant Down Under.”
52 min: Another opportunity for Syria, who are carving up the Australian defence with increasing regularity in the second-half. This isn’t over yet.
50 min: Syria counter quickly off the Australian corner, and Milos Degenek earns himself a yellow card for taking out Khaled Mobayed. Free-kick to Syria on the right-hand side, but Mathew Leckie puts in some valiant defending to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity.
48 min: Ohh!!!! Tomi Juric twice hits the post within seconds. If the Syrians equalise, that moment will come back to haunt Australia. After some further play around Syria’s box, the Socceroos earn a corner.
Some motion blur for your visual enjoyment.
47 min: Mahmoud Al Mawas has a nice shot on target, well-parried by Mat Ryan in the Australian goal. Nervy times for the Socceroos.
Second-half underway
46 min: Peep! The referee recommences play. Will one goal be enough for the Socceroos? Or is the Syrian attacking threat going to ignite in the second stanza?
An interesting question, for all following along at home. Is there any merit in the view that Australian football would be better off in the long-term not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup? Such sentiment has floated around Guardian Towers in recent weeks (I won’t reveal names to protect from Twitter abuse). As someone intending to attend the World Cup in Russia, I have a personal/professional investment in the Socceroos qualifying. But the Australians have hardly shone throughout the lengthy qualification campaign - perhaps sneaking to Russia would obscure underlying failings within Australian football? Interesting in your thoughts, dear reader.
An interesting, if unfortunately timed email from Joe in Sydney earlier: “I’m not sure I see what Robbie Kruse brings to this Socceroos side. Since his horror run of injuries, he looks permanently out-of-sorts in a gold jersey, wearing the bewildered, anxious expression of someone who’s lost their pet turtle.”
If anyone has seen Mr Kruse’s pet turtle, please write in. Obviously the email was sent before Kruse gave Australia a 1-0 advantage, but Joe still makes a fair point.
More assorted correspondence while I gather my breath. Several messages about the choice of location - apparently Malaysia was the only country willing to host the match where Syrians did not require visas (credit Mourhaf Kazzaz, Marwan Kawadri and Ameer Alsamman for that information). Charles Antaki has a more cynical suggestion - Malaysia is a mostly-Muslin country, but far enough away from the Middle East to avoid political controversy over hosting the Syrian team.
Matt Coughlan from Australian newswire AAP is following along in Ranchi, India where he is covering the cricket. Apparently nowhere in Ranchi is showing the game, so he’s stuck with my minute-by-minute updates. Meanwhile, a colleague on the newsdesk in London has emailed in to say they are following along and hoping nobody notices. My lips are sealed as to his or her identity!
Half-time: Syria 0 - 1 Australia
45 min: The referee calls an end to the first-half of proceedings. Australia have been marginally the better team, and deserve their advantage, but it certainly has not been a walkover. Expect an exciting second stanza if this Syrian attack continues.
A nice pic here from our agency snapper on the ground in Malaysia.
41 min: That could prove a crucial goal for Australia. You’d expect the Socceroos can at least hold Syria at home next week, so a win in Malaysia should be enough to see Australia through to the final stage of qualifying. Still plenty of time here though, and the Syrians have looked dangerous in attack.
Goal: Syria 0 - 1 Australia
39 min: Goal!!!! Mathew Leckie does some beautiful work on the right-hand flank, before cutting to Robbie Kruse who converts without difficulty.
37 min: Omar Al Soma causing all sorts of trouble for the Socceroos. If his team-mates could execute, the Australians would be in a world of pain right now. Down the other end, Mark Milligan takes a big swing, which rolls gently to Syrian keeper Alma.
Some assorted correspondence. Trinath Sen on Twitter suggests security, and Australia’s reluctance, might explain why this game was not played in the Middle East.
Over on the email, Leon Brennan has written in asking for a shout-out to his mate “Big Beansy G”. I would not normally oblige this request, but apparently Mr G is following along at his desk in Germany, and has both Syrian and Australian heritage. I wonder who he is cheering for?
34 min: Syria are causing the Socceroos a few headaches. Mark Milligan is down injured again, while the Syrians were unlucky not to make more of a dangerous cross. Still 0-0 as we head towards half-time.
33 min: Another slicing pass from Aaron Mooy, which finds Robbie Kruse on side. He can’t make anything of it, but this link-up play has been impressive. A matter of time before he has an opportunity on goal?
31 min: Socceroos skipper Mark Milligan has picked up a knock and is walking around gingerly. A concern for Ange Postecoglou.
29 min: Great persistence from Josh Risdon on the right-hand side sends a slicing cross to Mathew Leckie, who blazes wide. Missed opportunity from the Hertha Berlin attacker.
27 min: After a number of attacking opportunities for both sides, the play has settled slightly, with the ball moving back and forth around the midfield.
I am sure I’m not the only one to agree with this tweet - indeed perhaps we need Sam Kerr herself up front.
The @Socceroos need someone like Sam Kerr up front #SYRvAUS
— Oz Football Gossip ⚽ (@OzFootbalGossip) October 5, 2017
An interesting query via email from Jad Chamseddine: “Any idea why Malaysia was chosen as a venue? I find it surprising that a place with no Syrian presence would host such an important fixture. I’m in Lebanon, and plenty of places are packed with Syrians watching the game (we have over a million refugees here and plenty more that have lived in Lebanon for decades) and was wondering why a neighboring country was not chosen.”
I must confess that I have no answer to this perplexing query. Syria played several of their group-stage games in Melaka, but I understand they were keen to shift this crunch match to the Middle East. For whatever reason, that did not eventuate. If you have any insight, do email in.
22 min: First shot at Australian custodian Mat Ryan, but the flag is up.
20 min: Some end-to-end football in Melaka. A beautiful first-touch from Aziz Behich creates an opportunity for the Socceroos, before the Syrians break quickly to set up their own opportunity. Syria are showing plenty of pace on both wings, which could trouble Australia as the night continues.
19 min: A corner to Australia comes to nothing, but Aaron Mooy regathers in midfield, loses it again and regathers it again. He finds Robbie Kruse in an offside position, but these early possessions for Mooy are boding well for the Socceroos.
16 min: A beautifully-placed lob from Aaron Mooy found Robbie Kruse on the run, but he couldn’t make anything of it.
Adrian Lane emails in: “No idea what is going to happen today, but left disheartened and frustrated by Australia being in this position. Is there any sign of hope?”
Well, Adrian, early signs have been mixed. The Socceroos have not looked uncomfortable, but Syria are not shaping up to be a walk-over either. If I had to cast an early prediction, I’d say we might see a scoreless first-half followed by a late flurry in the second stanza: 2-1 Australia. Now I have said that, expect Syria to score five.
12 min: The first yellow card of the night is delivered to a Syrian player, and if play continues at the current temperament, it probably won’t be the last.
Aaron Mooy has already been active in the midfield, stringing some nice passes together.
9 min: Socceroos stalwart (and captain) Mark Milligan in the thick of the action, playing some nice balls around the midfield. His experience could prove crucial on a night like tonight.
7 min: Milos Degenek fouls on the edge of the area, giving Syria a dangerous free-kick. The strike goes straight into the Australian wall, and out for a corner.
5 min: Josh Risdon collects a ball on the Syrian flank and takes it to the byline. The Western Sydney Wanderer is a surprise starting inclusion in the Socceroos starting XI - could he be the X factor?
3 min: Early free-kick for Australia on the edge of the box. Curled in dangerously but the referee stops play after a clash in the box and the Syrians regain possession.
Ange Postecoglou is a man under pressure, after Australia failed to qualify automatically for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Is the former Brisbane Roar coach up to the challenge?
Kick-off
1 min: Peep! We are underway in Melaka, which the commentary team inform us is closer to Canberra than Damascus. The stadium is largely empty, creating a rather bizarre atmosphere.
The anthems are being sung and that means kick-off is nigh. My inbox is currently empty, so do send me your predictions and armchair analysis.
Syrian line-up
As we await kick-off, here is the Syrian team. Captain Zaher Medani is a defensive midfielder who plays his club football in Iraq. Medani has the weight of a country on his shoulders, and told the press recently that his team-mates “hope we’ll be able to unify our people.” For some analysis of the Syrian team and how they might play tonight, I commend to you this article from my colleague (and noted Asian football expert) John Duerden.
Starting lineups for 🇸🇾 vs 🇦🇺!#SYRvAUS #WCQ2018 #RoadToRussia pic.twitter.com/WzuYKzbGGR
— The-AFC.com (@theafcdotcom) October 5, 2017
Plenty of Syrian fans making noise in Melaka. If you’re at the Hang Jebat Stadium, do send us an update about the atmosphere and state of the pitch - we’d love to hear from you.
Australian line-up
Ange Postecoglou’s team has been announced, with a couple of surprises: Josh Risdon on the wing and Matt Jurman at left-back. Unlikely squad inclusion Nikita Rukavytsya is on the bench - will Ruka be a late substitute if Australia are chasing a result?
This is it. These are the 11 men who will do the job in the first leg against Syria. Kick-off 90 minutes away. #SYRvAUS pic.twitter.com/KOJsqP4t4l
— Caltex Socceroos (@Socceroos) October 5, 2017
Preamble
The Socceroos are no strangers to Fifa World Cup qualification play-offs, and tonight’s clash with Syria will bring back mixed memories for the Australian national team faithful. Fans still mourn the what-could-have-been moments against Iran in 1997 and Uruguay in 2001, while few have forgotten their elation following John Aloisi’s iconic match-winning penalty in 2005. After failing to automatically qualify from a group containing regional heavyweights Japan and Saudi Arabia, Australia must once again face the play-off lottery to reach Russia 2018.
Between the Socceroos and a chance to play the United States, Panama or Honduras for World Cup qualification stand Syria. Much has been written about the Qasioun Eagles, who have attracted plenty of neutral admirers for securing results on the pitch while their homeland remains in a state of civil war. But this feel-good story, and the obvious parallels with Iraq’s 2007 Asian Cup win, might not be so straightforward. The national side has the backing of controversial Syrian president Bashar al-Assad - one news outlet even described it as “the dictator’s team” - and members of the Syrian Football Association have spoken in support of the leader. Sport and politics colliding once more.
The Australians face another adversity in neutral Melaka, Malaysia: the playing surface. Hang Jebat Stadium’s buffalo grass has already drawn criticism from the Socceroos camp, with reserve goalkeeper Mitch Langerak telling the media: “To be honest we’re not expecting anything from the pitch. I think it’s going to be quite bad.” While manager Ange Postecoglou has insisted that his game-plan will not be affected by the conditions, Australia struggled on a similar surface in Bangkok during a draw with Thailand last year. A grassy carpet this is not.
Syria are expected to sit deep and hit Australia on the counter-attack, an opposition approach which Australian coach Postecoglou has struggled to neutralise in recent matches. With his reputation and job on the line, the 52-year-old will be hoping for a marked improvement from his charges in Melaka, before both teams head to Sydney for the second leg next week. Anything less, and the Socceroos face the prospect of watching the World Cup from home for the first time in 16 years.
Will the Australian XI click into gear, as they did so impressively against Chile at the Fifa Confederations Cup in June? Or will the Syrian “fairytale” roll on? Please do send me your comments throughout the evening, via email or Twitter. Ta!
Kieran will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s John Duerden’s thoughts on a Syrian team that could well set out to frustrate the Socceroos tonight:
Updated
.jpg?w=600)
