Australia produced a disappointing performance and lost 1-0 to Kuwait in their Group B Asia Cup qualifier in Canberra tonight.
The defeat leaves Australia bottom of the group.
The only positive to come out of the match for the home side was the attendance of 20,032.
The victory was a triumph of tactics and skill for a team representing a country with a population of just two-and-a-half millions and with just 8,000 registered footballers.
It might even have been 2-0, but Kuwait hit the post 12 minutes from the end after a splendid counter-attack down the right. Substitute Khaled Matar's low drive hit the inside of the far post and rebounded into play.
Australia weathered lots of early pressure and, midway through the first half, squandered two great opportunities.
Michael Zullo crossed low from the right in the 23rd minute and, with the Kuwait goalkeeper caught in no man's land, Archie Thompson should have scored. But, his weak shot was blocked and the ball fell to Tom Pondeljak wide on the left, whose shot hit the post.
Kuwait took the lead in the 37th minute when a free-kick from the left was headed home by Mesaed Al Enzi, despite having his shirt tugged by Daniel Mullen.
Australia's best chance of the second half came from Mitch Nichols, but he volleyed over the crossbar.
"The ball wasn't spilling for us tonight," said Socceroos striker Archie Thompson.
"Five days ago I was on such a high and suddenly your emotions start to drop. That's what happens .
"We'll bounce back.
"Obviously, it's disappointing when you lose at home, especially when there's always so much pressure on the A-League players to perform.
"It's very disappointing when you don't get a result because then you get your critics again."
Statistics:
AUSTRALIA KUWAIT
Shots on goal 17 14
Shots on target 5 3
Corners 7 3
Fouls 16 17
Off-Sides 0 0
Yellow Cards 2 2
2 comments:
What's going on with the shirt number????
aleague players are so crap lol
archie thompson is "absolute rubbish"
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