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07-13-2007, 09:18 PM
BANGKOK, Thailand: Australia's besieged coach Graham Arnold savaged his players as indisciplined and disinterested after a 3-1 defeat to Iraq in the Asian Cup on Friday, putting the pre-tournament favorites on the verge of a humiliating early exit.
The defeat means Australia must beat Thailand in the final Group A game on Monday in order to qualify for the quarterfinals, but it is now a longshot to finish top of the group and stay based in Bangkok.
In Friday's Group B game, Japan strolled to a 3-1 win over the United Arab Emirates. That put Japan within touching distance of the quarterfinals and meant the Gulf side was the first team to be eliminated from the competition.
Despite Australia's disappointing showings in the tournament thus far, the Socceroos may still qualify for the quarterfinals by beating Thailand, though the situation in Group A could yet become very complicated.
If Australia beats Thailand, and Oman beats Iraq in the final group games, all four sides would be on four points. Head-to-head record is the first criteria to seperate sides if points are level, but should those two results come about, it would create a scramble of head-to-heads that could not seperate the teams. Then teams would be split by goal difference, and then goals scored.
But such mathematical possibilities were of little succour to Arnold after the game, and he was venomous in his attack upon his underperforming players, drawn mostly from the top European leagues.
"Some of them - maybe it is too hard. Maybe the conditions are too hot. The fact that the stadiums aren't full," Arnold said.
"They can use heat and humidity as an excuse, but attitude comes a long way to it.
"You look at how they played ... some players, I'm questioning if they want to be out there."
Australia again looked sapped by the conditions, but the players let themselves get sucked in by Iraq's gamesmanship, resulting in defender Lucas Neill being sent off in the closing stages.
Iraq's Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira would not be drawn on Australia's performance, but praised his team's work ethic.
"I said before that we were ready for the match but people didn't believe me," Vieira said.
"The congratulation must go to my players and staff, not only for me. It's not magic."
Iraq took the lead in the 21st minute when Nashat Akram's 30-meter freekick was floated into the Australian box. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was distracted by the players in front of him and the ball drifted into the net, with Saleh Sadir credited for what must have been only the finest of touches.
Australian equalized just moments after halftime, with Mark Viduka heading in a Brett Emerton cross, but Iraq went back in front in the 60th minute, with a clever pass unstitching the Australian defense and Hawar Mulla Mohammed slotting home.
The Iraqis, continuing the form that saw them reach the semifinals of the 2004 Olympics, had more chances to score, including one shot that hit the bar, before Karrar Jassim Mohammed twisted the knife with a third at the death that could prove vital if goal difference decides standings in the group.
Japan's victory moved it to four points from two games, equal with co-hosts Vietnam in Group B, meaning the teams need only draw when they meet on Monday in order for both to reach the quarterfinals.
If there is a result either way in that match, the loser could be leapfrogged on goal difference by Qatar, should the Gulf side beat the United Arab Emirates in a simultaneous game.
The United Arab Emirates can not finish in the top two teams in the group, having lost both its fixtures thus far, and so become the first team out of the competition.
That extended the nation's poor recent run in the Asian Cup. After making the semifinals in 1992 and the final in 1996, the United Arab Emirates failed to qualify in 2000 and were knocked out at the group stage in 2004 and now 2007.
The match was as good as over by halftime when Japan led 3-0.
Naohiro Takahara, of German club Eintracht Frankfurt, opened the scoring for Japan in the 22nd minute with a header after a cross from the left and scored his second just five minutes later when he fired home a powerful shot from 17 meters.
A contentious penalty just before halftime saw Japan extend the lead, with Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura slotting home from the spot.
Japan's advantage was heightened in the 53rd minute when the United Arab Emirates defender Basheer Saeed was sent off for a violent tackle.
Playing with ten men, the Gulf side still managed to claw one goal back in the 66th minute courtesy of substitute forward Saeed Al Kaas, but could not close further.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/13/sports/AS-SPT-SOC-Asian-Cup-Roundup.php
I'm glad i put my bet on Iran and Japan.
The defeat means Australia must beat Thailand in the final Group A game on Monday in order to qualify for the quarterfinals, but it is now a longshot to finish top of the group and stay based in Bangkok.
In Friday's Group B game, Japan strolled to a 3-1 win over the United Arab Emirates. That put Japan within touching distance of the quarterfinals and meant the Gulf side was the first team to be eliminated from the competition.
Despite Australia's disappointing showings in the tournament thus far, the Socceroos may still qualify for the quarterfinals by beating Thailand, though the situation in Group A could yet become very complicated.
If Australia beats Thailand, and Oman beats Iraq in the final group games, all four sides would be on four points. Head-to-head record is the first criteria to seperate sides if points are level, but should those two results come about, it would create a scramble of head-to-heads that could not seperate the teams. Then teams would be split by goal difference, and then goals scored.
But such mathematical possibilities were of little succour to Arnold after the game, and he was venomous in his attack upon his underperforming players, drawn mostly from the top European leagues.
"Some of them - maybe it is too hard. Maybe the conditions are too hot. The fact that the stadiums aren't full," Arnold said.
"They can use heat and humidity as an excuse, but attitude comes a long way to it.
"You look at how they played ... some players, I'm questioning if they want to be out there."
Australia again looked sapped by the conditions, but the players let themselves get sucked in by Iraq's gamesmanship, resulting in defender Lucas Neill being sent off in the closing stages.
Iraq's Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira would not be drawn on Australia's performance, but praised his team's work ethic.
"I said before that we were ready for the match but people didn't believe me," Vieira said.
"The congratulation must go to my players and staff, not only for me. It's not magic."
Iraq took the lead in the 21st minute when Nashat Akram's 30-meter freekick was floated into the Australian box. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was distracted by the players in front of him and the ball drifted into the net, with Saleh Sadir credited for what must have been only the finest of touches.
Australian equalized just moments after halftime, with Mark Viduka heading in a Brett Emerton cross, but Iraq went back in front in the 60th minute, with a clever pass unstitching the Australian defense and Hawar Mulla Mohammed slotting home.
The Iraqis, continuing the form that saw them reach the semifinals of the 2004 Olympics, had more chances to score, including one shot that hit the bar, before Karrar Jassim Mohammed twisted the knife with a third at the death that could prove vital if goal difference decides standings in the group.
Japan's victory moved it to four points from two games, equal with co-hosts Vietnam in Group B, meaning the teams need only draw when they meet on Monday in order for both to reach the quarterfinals.
If there is a result either way in that match, the loser could be leapfrogged on goal difference by Qatar, should the Gulf side beat the United Arab Emirates in a simultaneous game.
The United Arab Emirates can not finish in the top two teams in the group, having lost both its fixtures thus far, and so become the first team out of the competition.
That extended the nation's poor recent run in the Asian Cup. After making the semifinals in 1992 and the final in 1996, the United Arab Emirates failed to qualify in 2000 and were knocked out at the group stage in 2004 and now 2007.
The match was as good as over by halftime when Japan led 3-0.
Naohiro Takahara, of German club Eintracht Frankfurt, opened the scoring for Japan in the 22nd minute with a header after a cross from the left and scored his second just five minutes later when he fired home a powerful shot from 17 meters.
A contentious penalty just before halftime saw Japan extend the lead, with Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura slotting home from the spot.
Japan's advantage was heightened in the 53rd minute when the United Arab Emirates defender Basheer Saeed was sent off for a violent tackle.
Playing with ten men, the Gulf side still managed to claw one goal back in the 66th minute courtesy of substitute forward Saeed Al Kaas, but could not close further.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/13/sports/AS-SPT-SOC-Asian-Cup-Roundup.php
I'm glad i put my bet on Iran and Japan.