Tonight will be a good indicator of where our NT is at. We've done extremely well against teams that we always should have beaten - both in terms of the scoreline and most importantly the performance as a team. Our defense will get tested against the Koreans so if we can keep them out, win and perform well, I'd put us as favourites to win it along side the Japanese NT. I watched Iran against Qatar and even though I was impressed, they seemed to lack something in their team. They have great technical players up the front but the finishing of chances just wasn't there.
bleh. Still some very ordinary defensive errors, still labouring in front of goal, still overhitting and rushing when it's do or die. Not that different and not enough to face Japan with any confidence.
SF in Newcastle will be a phenomenal atmosphere, glad I'm going. Bit worried about the attendance at the other SF now - South Korea vs whoever makes up the numbers is not going to pull a big crowd at Stadium Australia. The organisers really rolled the dice by betting Australia would top their group, especially with South Korea in there.
Whoever planned the grounds should have done a better job. The group winners should have been located to Sydney (which it has been) and the runners up to another major city like Brisbane or Melbourne. How could they have put all their bets on us finishing first? It's a shame.
Melbourne didn't want to host the semi final or final as it clashed with the Australian Open tennis which is on at t he moment.
There also was talk of moving it, but the AFC have quashed those rumours: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-19/asian-cup-rules-out-newcastle-sydney-venue-swap/6026250
Any type of sport Australia host in Brisbane these days is an embarrassment to the country due to their "she'll be right attitude" when it comes to preparing surfaces for League, Soccer, Cricket and even our game against China will be a lucky dip with the state of the field at the moment. I'm happy to sacrifice 20,000 people watching the game live in order to get a fair result on a field at Newcastle than return to the cow paddock that Brisbane have been providing. Newcastle will have a better climate to play in as well. Maybe they should have considered games in Adelaide too???
Yeh the quality of the field is the most important part. The problem with Adelaide is that you add another venue that is far away. Playing the Asian Cup in Australia is like having the Euro hosted in every part of Europe. We are just too big. It is a shame for Adelaide and Perth but it is what it is. It was interesting that we hosted games in Canberra. I wonder if the FFA did that on purpose to see how big crowds could get for a potential A-league team.
Hi. I am a Japanese first time visiting Sydney to attend Asian Cup QF Japan x UAE @ Stadium Australia. The match kick off is 20:30 but I would like to watch another QF Iran x Iraq. Its kick off is 17:30. Then are there any sports pubs, bars or places possible to watch TV around Stadium Australia?? Now I am in Melbourne and hope to meet Socceroos at Newcastle anyway.
Hi BUDOKAN, hope you're enjoying your visit so far. In aswer to your question: yes there are places to watch TV around Stadium Australia - there's a pub opposite the stadium that definately has screens, and a few other restaurants nearby may also be showing the game. Best of luck to Japan and enjoy both games.
This is my first time Australia and I am really enjoying not only football but also tennis. And thank you for your good news. I was expecting there is no places as it looks like newly suburban sports complex area. Then I will go to Olympic Park much earlier. Good luck for Team Australia.
And here's a good link for you then: http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/stay_eat_shop/bars In case you want to check out some of the other stuff around there- like see the Olympic cauldron from the 2000 Olympics. Have a great time in the best city in Australia!
From where I am, its actually quicker to get to the northern 'gong beaches than it is to get to the city beaches. Our fav is Austinmer, its got the sea pools, good facilities, takeaways across the road, good shade from the big pines, and reasonable parking around. That's why I consider it as part of Sydney.
SHHHSH. Dont want this to become commonly known. Its good that most people who have never been here think we are a dirty industrial city.
I'm just glad it was China who was coming at us in those last 20 mins and not Chile again or it could have ended ugly for us. Ange, we still suffer the same problems now that we suffered in the WC defensively especially. Left/Right Backs getting caught up and not being able to track or read a runner coming through. We are not careful playing out from the back. Our last pass, touch or shot in attack more often seems to be the wrong one. We get in some good positions to send crosses in (that's progress) but the quality of cross is no more than a lottery ball most of the time. We need more crosses that Luongo put in for Cahills second goal that was timed and measured. Thank God we have Timmy to continue rescuing us but he plays on the edge and i still cringe at some of his tackles. I wonder how long he will last in some games. Anyways, onwards and upwards as we meet a courageous UAE who looked like they may have just played their Final against Japan as it took a lot out of them as well as 4 yellow cards.
We have way more problems than just the wing backs. Don't really have a third CM at the same level as Jedinak and Luongo unless we move Jedinak to CM and put Milligan as our DM. Our wingers in Kruse and Leckie can be very one dimensional - one foot and a couple of qualities here and there. The UAE have some players who are technically better than us like Omar (genius) BUT if we score first we'll win comfortably. Having Japan knocked out of the tournament is massive because to me they are by far the best team in Asia. From what I saw of South Korea, they are beatable. I'm beating on a South Korea-Australia final.