Bluey
18-06-2009, 08:28 PM
Tim Cahill stars as Socceroos win 2-1. Cahill's knack of scoring crucial goals again bailed the Socceroos out last night and propelled them to a much-wanted victory against Japan.
A scorer of two late goals in the 3-1 win against Japan at the 2006 World Cup finals, Cahill repeated the feat with a brace in the 59th and 77th minutes to secure the Socceroos a 2-1 win and first place in the qualifying group after Marcus Tulio Tanaka had given the Blue Samurai a first-half lead at the MCG.
While the game was a dead rubber, given both teams had already qualified for South Africa 2010, Cahill was not satisfied to let the Socceroos' campaign peter out, rising first for a looping header to equalise before slotting home the winner from close range.
Cahill's goals not only saved the undermanned Socceroos, who were missing several first-stringers, but saved the game, which was disappointing in the first half and raised in tempo and quality only marginally in the second.
Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek was thrilled with Cahill's two-goal performance, underlining the Everton man's class and commitment to the green and gold while earmarking him as a key player for the World Cup finals.
"They were great goals from Timmy," Verbeek said.
"Timmy is a great player. We saw the hard work he does for the team.
"He was defending and supporting the defence and he was always in the penalty box.
"His first goal, what a great goal that was. It's great to have a player like that who also does the job he does, which is to score goals.
"It was his 47th or 48th game of the season.
"That says enough about the commitment of the player. He's a great example to every Australian football player."
The one striker or two question was answered with Josh Kennedy going solo up front and Scott McDonald on the bench, but Cahill looked to push forward from midfield to support Kennedy, who found the going hard one out.
The Socceroos laboured through the first 45 minutes as full backs Rhys Williams, making his debut, and Shane Stefanutto, playing only his second international, were given a workout down the flanks.
Elsewhere, the game was very much a midfield wrestle until Tanaka ran unmarked into the penalty area and climbed above Cahill to head home Kengo Nakamura's corner in the 40th minute.
It was the first goal the Socceroos had conceded in this phase of World Cup qualifying, ending the string of seven straight clean sheets and setting a task for Australia to come from behind.
It could have been 2-0 to Japan at halftime had Lucas Neill not been alert and headed Keiji Tamada's free kick off the line, but at least the Socceroos were still in the game.
They tried to make a brighter start to the second half and that effort was rewarded when Cahill climbed for a speculative free kick into the box and headed the ball back across goal and into the net for 1-1 and a genuine sigh of relief from most of the 69,238 crowd at the MCG.
That was followed by Cahill's second 18 minutes later, getting behind the Japanese defence to tuck away Nick Carle's corner for 2-1 before leaving to a standing ovation in the 84th minute, replaced by debutant Dario Vidosic.
"I'm very proud of the players," Verbeek said.
"We're at the end of a long and tough season but they showed that have the power and courage to come back and win."
A scorer of two late goals in the 3-1 win against Japan at the 2006 World Cup finals, Cahill repeated the feat with a brace in the 59th and 77th minutes to secure the Socceroos a 2-1 win and first place in the qualifying group after Marcus Tulio Tanaka had given the Blue Samurai a first-half lead at the MCG.
While the game was a dead rubber, given both teams had already qualified for South Africa 2010, Cahill was not satisfied to let the Socceroos' campaign peter out, rising first for a looping header to equalise before slotting home the winner from close range.
Cahill's goals not only saved the undermanned Socceroos, who were missing several first-stringers, but saved the game, which was disappointing in the first half and raised in tempo and quality only marginally in the second.
Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek was thrilled with Cahill's two-goal performance, underlining the Everton man's class and commitment to the green and gold while earmarking him as a key player for the World Cup finals.
"They were great goals from Timmy," Verbeek said.
"Timmy is a great player. We saw the hard work he does for the team.
"He was defending and supporting the defence and he was always in the penalty box.
"His first goal, what a great goal that was. It's great to have a player like that who also does the job he does, which is to score goals.
"It was his 47th or 48th game of the season.
"That says enough about the commitment of the player. He's a great example to every Australian football player."
The one striker or two question was answered with Josh Kennedy going solo up front and Scott McDonald on the bench, but Cahill looked to push forward from midfield to support Kennedy, who found the going hard one out.
The Socceroos laboured through the first 45 minutes as full backs Rhys Williams, making his debut, and Shane Stefanutto, playing only his second international, were given a workout down the flanks.
Elsewhere, the game was very much a midfield wrestle until Tanaka ran unmarked into the penalty area and climbed above Cahill to head home Kengo Nakamura's corner in the 40th minute.
It was the first goal the Socceroos had conceded in this phase of World Cup qualifying, ending the string of seven straight clean sheets and setting a task for Australia to come from behind.
It could have been 2-0 to Japan at halftime had Lucas Neill not been alert and headed Keiji Tamada's free kick off the line, but at least the Socceroos were still in the game.
They tried to make a brighter start to the second half and that effort was rewarded when Cahill climbed for a speculative free kick into the box and headed the ball back across goal and into the net for 1-1 and a genuine sigh of relief from most of the 69,238 crowd at the MCG.
That was followed by Cahill's second 18 minutes later, getting behind the Japanese defence to tuck away Nick Carle's corner for 2-1 before leaving to a standing ovation in the 84th minute, replaced by debutant Dario Vidosic.
"I'm very proud of the players," Verbeek said.
"We're at the end of a long and tough season but they showed that have the power and courage to come back and win."