It's 2.33am here and I've been writing since 8.30am yesterday at work and now at home getting this blog up and running. I'm a tad stroppy and need to get to sleep. But I promised stuff on all three big sporting events that inspired this blog, so here 'tis.
Oh no. No, no, no, no. After seing the battered and bruised Hawks get a whipping off Perth (see No Disgrace) this was too much. Take all three points. Give us our injured players back.
Sure, we got out of the heavyweight clash with a 1-1, but the loss of three of our most important players could very well kill our Asian Cup campaign.
David Carney - Australia's only left fullback - dislocated his shoulder.
Luke Wilkshire - the second or third name on the teamsheet at right fullback - wrecked his groin.
Culina - the team's best passer - didn't even make it to half-time.
Coach Holger Osieck said the injuries were "pretty serious". Not what we want to hear three days before the final game of the group stage.
While the stalemate basically ensures that Australia and South Korea will advance from Group C, the Socceroos only have three days before the Bahrain game.
And some major personnel issues.
The only other left footers in the squad are Tommy Oar and Matt Mackay. Neither is a fullback.
Jade North replaced Wilkshire and gave away some cheap ball.
Carl Valeri did a decent job in Culina's stead, but is not in his class as a playmaker out of midfield.
Still, to climb off the canvas after the Koreans scored first was a top effort and testament to the guts of the side. The equaliser was a scrappy goal to Mile Jedinak.
However, it came after the dream team of Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill spurned chances in the first half. Big games require big players to step up. Still, Harry played awesome and caused plenty of problems.
I thought South Korea would win 3-1. Before you line me up against the wall for defeatist talk or being unpatriotic, it was based on a sober assessment of preparation and past results. They played an actual team (Bahrain) last start, we feasted on India. They belted us in Seoul in 2009. They were way better at the World Cup.
South Korea are for me the best team in Asia - definitely the quickest - and they knock the ball around really well. Whether that's enough to win the tournament remains to be seen. But I picked them before Christmas. Their defence is a little suspect, but they have only conceded once in 180 minutes so far. And there is no team in Asia that is going to rack up a heap of goals. Unless they're playing India.
Us ... well, we um, are a little more workmanlike until the ball gets to Emerton (for me, Australia's best at the tournament so far) or Kewell, who hasn't played this well in national colours since '97. He is in menacing touch.
It was good to see Lucas Neill recover from a shaky first half (his mistake led to Korea's goal) and his centreback partner, Sasa Ogonovski, who was tagged slow by the opposing coach in the lead-up, have decent games.
And our fighting qualities and solid defence will come in handy at the sharp end. Even if the lines are breached, there is always Schwarzie between the sticks. He saved our bacon with a great reflex save four minutes from the end.
All in all, I'm proud of the result and the effort, but the reality is injuries/suspension are really going to test the Socceroos.
Let's hope they can regroup - and don't have to draft in an assistant coach!
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