Australia 2 – 1 Japan

Timmy Cahill turned back the clock as he scored two second half goals to cancel out an early Japanese strike and gave the Socceroos a 2-1 win in Wednesday night’s World Cup Qualifier. Putting a week of misbehavior allegations behind him, the Everton player showed just why he is such a great commodity in modern Australian football as he brought back memories of that amazing day at Kaiserslauten in 2006.

With several players rested due to yellow card concerns, the side which Pim sent out was a mix of experience and youth. Recent Welsh convert Rhys Williams made his international bow at the centre of defence alongside skipper Lucas Neill, who reclaimed the armband from the ever present Mark Schwarzer. Shane Stefanutto started at left back and he provided some nice attacking runs, not to mention a sweet left foot cross. Jade North was a bit more subdued on the right back role, concentrating on his defensive duties and having a less attacking mentality. Vinnie Grella and Jason Culina started in the middle, with an attacking trio of Mile Sterjovski, Cahill and Nicky Carle in front of them. The mercurial Carle and the stylish Mile Jedinak – who started the Bahrain match – are vying for the playmaker’s role in Pim’s squad, and on the basis of what we have seen, Carle has the slight advantage over Jedinak. Josh Kennedy started as the lone striker, with Pim no doubt using his height as a weapon.

With both teams having already qualified for next year’s World Cup, there were thoughts that the match would be a glorified friendly. This was quickly put to rest, as both teams came out and attacked, with Cahill almost giving the Socceroos the lead barely five minutes in. Running onto a long ball, Cahill managed to dribble deep into the box before unleashing a left foot drive which was blocked by Japanese Narasaki. The loose ball was played back to Sterjovski, whose first time shot was deflected over. Notions of a friendly were definitely put aside as both teams made crunching tackles which somehow managed to just escape the referee’s wrath.

Both sides played an up tempo game, with the Japanese heavily relying on their wingers’ overlapping runs. Despite having more balls in the box, their strikers were unable to find the clinical finish. Australia themselves had several half chances, with Cahill’s and Sterjovski’s early efforts being the best of them.

However, on the half hour mark, an innocuous corner was our downfall, as a textbook play gave the Japanese the lead. Making a late run towards the six yard box, Tulio Tanaka met a perfectly delivered cross to out jump Cahill and nod past Schwarzer. It was the first goal the Socceroos defence had given all qualifying campaign, and there was almost a look of disbelief from the giant keeper. Schwarzer probably should have come out and claimed the corner, because as soon as Cahill was outjumped, there was no way any keeper in the world would have had the reflexes to save the header. Nonetheless, the Japanese celebrated an early goal, much like that sunny afternoon in Germany in 2006.

They nearly went ahead further, as in first half injury time a Tamada free kick found its way over the wall and flying towards the net. With Schwarzer well beaten, it was left to Neill to head off the line and save what was a certain goal.

The first fifteen minutes of the second half was a war of attrition, with nothing of great concern taking place. Then Timmy Cahill turned the match on its head with two goals to stun the Japanese…again.

Firstly, on the hour mark, Cahill provided some payback for Tanaka, when he outjumped the Japanese defender at the back post to meet a Grella long ball and put the Socceroos back on level terms. Then, several minutes later, he timed his run to perfection again to sneak in front of a Japanese defender as he turned a Carle corner into the net.

Suddenly it was 2-1 Australia, and the Japanese all had bewildered looks on their faces, no doubt having flashbacks of their World Cup disaster. Cahill, on the other hand, could not have looked more energized, with the trademark corner flag boxing routine proudly coming to the fore. After a week of turmoil and having his reputation dragged through the mud by The Daily Telegraph’s claims, Cahill was vindicated and it was not hard to imagine that every punch he threw at the corner flag was actually intended for the Telegraph’s editor.

While John Aloisi wasn’t scripted to come on and complete the rout, the match was all but won as the deflated Japanese lost their bite after the Cahill double. With the minutes running down, the Everton player was given a standing ovation as he was substituted. In what could be a fair indication of the present and the future of the Socceroos, Cahill made way for young Dario Vidosic, who made his international debut.

Overall, an exciting match where the psychological repercussions of the Cahill comeback would run much deeper than the 2-1 score line. The Japanese have had their spirit broken by the same man, and have lost the top spot in the group to the Green and Gold. Takeshi Okada’s men will now have to face the music in terms of their constant failures to finish opponents off, and more importantly they have to settle on being defeated by their main Asian rivals again.

From Australia’s point of view, it was a bit of a scare and altogether not an overly convincing effort. Playing at home, we shouldn’t be relying on these sorts of miracles to win, although it can be argued that it was an experience gathering occasion for some of the younger lads. It was good to see Carle in the Green and Gold again, as it was to see Williams and Vidosic make their debuts.

Congratulations to the boys and Pim for such a successful qualifying campaign. Although the fanfare hasn’t been as exciting as four years ago, it is every bit as important and you have all done us proud. Now Pim’s attention will turn back onto our disastrous Asian Cup campaign, where we are bottom of our group with just a single point from two games.