China v Australia - March 26th 2008

[mickdo]

Kickoff 5pm AEDT

Australian side: Mark Schwarzer (gk); Jade North, Lucas Neill (C), Michael Beauchamp, Luke Wilkshire, David Carney, Vince Grella, Carl Valeri, Jason Culina, Mark Bresciano, Archie Thompson

Subs from: Patrick Kisnorbo, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Jacob Burns, Mile Jedinak, Brett Holman, Mark Bridge, Ante Covic (gk)

 

[NK Arsenal]

Sorry champ, but

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=193653

/timmah.

Nah seriously, we should win this dispite our injury problems, as long as Kisnorbo doesn't get on the field.

I've prayed about 10 times that we win though. :lol:

 

[NK Arsenal]

The national anthems are being played in what is a capacity stadium. Kick-off is only minutes away.

Late News: Pim Verbeek concedes he is going a little bit defensive after the loss of so many striking options. He also puts it down to the high altitude and the fact you cannot play a high pressure game in these conditions. Wants to watch the long ball over the top and to survive the opening 20 minutes and gaps will start to appear after that. Pitch is soft and slow according to Pim.

Referee is Mohammed Omar Al Saeedi from UAE

The match kicks off at 5.00pm (AEDT).

The match can be seen live on Fox Sports 2 from 4.30pm.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/InsideFFA/default.aspx?s=insideffa_newsfeatures_newsitem&id=21838

 

[NK Arsenal]

Archie Thompson off injured, his replacement is Brett Holman

 

[Twizzle]

geez, we're a bit lite on for strikers

stack the defensive line now and just hope we can keep a clean sheet

 

[Misanthrope]

Where is Nicky Carle!?

 

[Twizzle]

almost a goal to Bresch

 

[NK Arsenal]

Where is Nicky Carle!?

Pim didn't pick super nick in the squad. :x

 

[HevyDevy]

Socceroos srating to gain a slight ascendency.

Bresciano probably should have scored earlier too

 

[Twizzle]

5 mins to HT

still nil all

I wish the commentators would lay off the Shoo Ting jokes

 

[pantherz9103]

Sun-Ji-Hai tried to 'assault' Wilkshire, but no card at all?

 

[Twizzle]

0-0 FT

very uninspirational from China

the game didn't heat up till the last 5 minutes

Schwartzer unlucky to be penalised but made a good save

Carney had a chance to win it for us in the last minute but didn't attack that ball

if this is the best China have, we should romp in at home especially with a stronger team

Kudos to Hollman, never seen him before, gives 100%

 

[pennywisealfie]

awful awful game, f**k yeah schwarzer

 

[mickdo]

0-0 FT

very uninspirational from China

the game didn't heat up till the last 5 minutes

Schwartzer unlucky to be penalised but made a good save

Carney had a chance to win it for us in the last minute but didn't attack that ball

if this is the best China have, we should romp in at home especially with a stronger team

Kudos to Hollman, never seen him before, gives 100%

Yellow card for Schwartzer was appropriate. Was a foul (doesn't take much in the box), but there was a man behind him. Super save as per usual (straight at his legs made it easy I guess).

Half a side against a team that had 3 weeks to prepare at altitude... Australia to qualify top of the group no problems

 

[mickdo]

Two possible red-card offences for Chinese players not given with two footed stud-showing challenges. One didn't even get a card with some BS about the tackler getting the ball. He must have missed the memo about showing studs being illegal whether you get the ball or not. Piss poor game by the ref.

 

[Twizzle]

I didn't see anything wrong with Schwartzers challenge, he looked to going at the ball all the way

Pretty confusing umpiring considering what the Chinese got away with

I just wonder if all those balls into the square that went over everyone's head from the Chinese was a result of the high altitude, they had time time adjust and we didn't yet we seemed to play the conditions better.

Commentators were saying the goalkeeper should be able to score in this altitude, obviously pretty thin air

 

[Titanic]

Kunming is hardly "at altitude" unless Penrith also qualifies imho. Crappy game with an excellent result. The Chinese and the Italians could fight it out for the nation most prone to taking a dive.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

The Chinese and the Italians could fight it out for the nation most prone to taking a dive.

:sleeper:

 

[HevyDevy]

Two possible red-card offences for Chinese players not given with two footed stud-showing challenges. One didn't even get a card with some BS about the tackler getting the ball. He must have missed the memo about showing studs being illegal whether you get the ball or not. Piss poor game by the ref.

That challenge was one of the worst I've ever seen.

How was that not a red card? I'm stunned.

Anyway, as everyone has said, for a side that was wrecked by injury and a pieced together preparation we did pretty well.

Thank God for the likes of Culina and Grella though because outside of our 'rocks' we didn't show much imagination.

Obviously you would expect the return of Cahill, Kewell and co. to make a difference there.

 

[TheParraboy]

a 0-0 result away, and in those conditions is as good as a win

we are looking real good to progress at this stage