Australia’s World Cup dream is alive after a come-from-behind 3-1 win over China in Adelaide on Thursday night.
At 1-0 down nearing half time the Socceroos stared into the abyss, the very real prospect of World Cup failure staring back at them. But goals by Lewis Miller and Craig Goodwin either side of half time, and a stoppage time effort from Nishan Velupillay, rescued a valuable three points in Tony Popovic’s first outing as Socceroos manager.
It gets their campaign back on track ahead of a daunting trip to Saitama Stadium next week to face Japan, the continent’s standard bearers who scored 12 unanswered in their opening two games.
Any doubts this was a new era in Australian football were dispelled 80 minutes before kick off when, with hope and optimism filling the spring air at Adelaide Oval, it emerged that Popovic had made five changes to the side the faced Indonesia last month.
The headline change was that of hometown hero Joe Gauci, the 24-year-old now on the books of Aston Villa, given the nod over incumbent goalkepper and former captain, Mat Ryan, who appears to have paid the price for a lack of game time at his new Italian side, AS Roma.
The changes offered not just fresh faces but a fresh tactical approach with either a back three or five, depending on your view of the game, and early on they appeared to have had the desired effect with Australia playing with the dynamism that Popovic promised.
Balls were being played forward, players were finding the half spaces between the lines and Australia had China where they wanted them – camped in their own half. Popovic liked what he saw, perched on the edge of his technical area, applauding and encouraging every action.
The early optimism gave way to a sense of frustration as the half wore on.
Popovic asked to be judged on the football his side played against China and while the early intent was there, the quality, more often than not, was not, with the same issues of a lack of invention and creativity in the final third rearing their ugly head.
What the crowd of 46,291, a record for the Socceroos in Adelaide, wasn’t expecting was for China to take the lead, but the air was sucked out of the stadium when Xie Wenneng did exactly that after 20 minutes, capitalising on a slack piece of Australian defending.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Australia, who headed towards half-time a shadow of the side that had started it, the reality of the situation seemingly weighing them down.
But when Lewis Miller headed home an inch-perfect free kick from Goodwin just before the break, the relief was etched all over his face. Relief not just for his side, but for himself as the Scotland-based fullback made his first appearance since a nightmare performance against South Korea in the quarter finals of the Asian Cup in January.
He was more assured this time, as were Australia in the second half after Popovic rung the changes at half-time, hooking Thomas Deng and Nestory Irankunda for Jason Geria and Riley McGree.
The switch had the desired effect, with Australia returning to the more dynamic side they had been to start the game and eight minutes into the half Goodwin found all the space he needed to unleash a 25-yard thunderbolt to the delight of not only his coach, but his adoring home crowd as well.
The three points were secured two minutes into stoppage time when, after a flurry in the box, Velupillay scored on his international debut.
Xie Wenneng scored against the run of play in the first half, silencing the 46,291 supporters at Adelaide Oval, who must have feared the worst following a winless start to the third phase of World Cup qualifying.
However, goals to Lewis Miller, a Craig Goodwin screamer and a debut goal to Nishan Velupillay gave the Socceroos a much-needed victory to kick start their campaign.
Following a shock defeat to Bahrain and a lacklustre draw against Indonesia, the Socceroos were at real risk of drifting out of contention for the top two qualification spots in this third phase of qualification from the AFC.
So, although not many who saw the match would say it was pretty, in truth the only thing that mattered for the Socceroos was getting the victory.
However a moment of real brilliance in the second half from Goodwin lifted Australia to victory.
The former Adelaide United man and the Reds' all time leading goalscorer picked up the ball 30 yards from goal after being played in by a neat pass from Jackson Irvine and unleashed a fearsome strike into the far corner of the goal.
The strike was utterly sublime, “just as I imagined it,” according to Goodwin, and lifted the Socceroos into a second half display that was far more impressive than their first.
After making five changes from Graham Arnold's last side that laboured to a draw against Indonesia, the Socceroos were likely to be disjointed.
Yet they started well, dominating the opening 20 minutes with almost 80 per cent possession, only to be caught on the counter attack by Xie, whose brilliant finish stunned Adelaide Oval.
The Socceroos did not panic though and, in first-half stoppage time, found themselves level thanks to Miller's header.
“In previous games, we may have felt a bit flustered and felt the pressure to score the goal,” goalkeeper Joe Gauci told Channel 10 after the match.
“Definitely in the two games before, we definitely had that feeling, but tonight we were more patient, trusted the opportunities would come and, when we got them, we would take them.
“Getting the goal right before half-time definitely swung momentum in our favour.”
China, who have now lost four-straight internationals for the first time since 2003, battled bravely and robustly, but were powerless to deny Goodwin's screamer.
The visitors still threatened periodically, Adelaide Oval's nervousness threatening to bleed into the players psyche.
But when debutant Nishan Velupillay smartly finished in stoppage time, the pressure valve was finally released.
The Socceroos will face a far sterner test on Tuesday, when they take on group leaders Japan in Saitama (9:35pm AEST)
The win lifts Australia to third in the group of six nations, with four points - five games remain in this phase of qualifying for the 2026 cup in North America.
Popovic's charges next meet unbeaten group leaders Japan, who have banked six points from two games, in Saitama on Tuesday night.
Popovic was appointed when Graham Arnold quit as coach after a scoreless draw in Indonesia and a shock 1-0 loss to Bahrain on the Gold Coast in last month's qualifying window.
Popovic made a pre-game impact by benching Ryan, who has been captain since October 2019, in favour of Gauci.
The new boss also summoned Miller, who had been on the outer since giving away a penalty and a free kick which resulted in South Korean goals in Australia's 2-1 quarter-final loss at the Asian Cup last February.
Popovic's show of faith was rewarded in the 47th minute when Miller, despite being sandwiched by Chinese defenders, latched onto a Goodwin free kick and headed the equaliser.
After halftime, South Australian Goodwin sent the parochial 46,291-strong Adelaide Oval crowd - the largest attendance at a Socceroos game in the state - into raptures with his sublime strike.
And substitute Velupillay iced the win in the 92nd minute with a coolly-taken right-footer from six metres out.
