Socceroos Slump To Another Defeat As Colombia Stars Make Difference In New York

Seven months retired from nan World Cup, nan Socceroos person mislaid 3 consecutive games. Their 3-0 conclusion to Colombia successful Queens came pinch a amended capacity than their abject conclusion against Venezuela past week but erstwhile they went behind, they collapsed; James Rodríguez’s 76th-minute punishment was followed by Luis Díaz pouncing connected an correction successful nan 88th-minute, earlier Jefferson Lerma fired location successful stoppage time.

Against a beardown opponent, possessing world-class attacking talent, Australia did what we’ve travel to expect from them for nan first 75 minutes. They defended resolutely and successful numbers, and put their bodies connected nan statement and into their opponents. Before nan awarding of nan punishment – a fishy determination – fewer would person been shocked if things had ended successful a goalless stalemate. But nan razor-thin separator for correction that nan Socceroos possess, wherein their struggles to create clear avenues to extremity request cleanable sheets, bore retired painfully erstwhile they were placed successful a deficit.

Once Australia went behind, location was ne'er a consciousness that they would beryllium capable to find a measurement backmost into nan contest. A calamitous mix-up that saw Camilo Vargas’s extremity footwear bounce each nan measurement done for Díaz to person added weight to this, arsenic did nan goalmouth scramble for Lerma’s sealer.

Things had started OK. The meek standoffishness that had characterised their play successful Houston was replaced pinch a greater willingness to put bodies astir and erstwhile they did get connected nan ball, location was a clearer accent connected retaining possession. This manifested mostly arsenic methodical, short and crisp passing astir nan backline and midfield. If thing wasn’t on, going pinch a safe action was mostly nan default position, pinch occasional attempts to portion thing done nan lines coming to naught.

This didn’t create overmuch going forward. But it besides meant Colombia were mostly denied opportunities to pounce and move nan shot against a scrambling defence successful transition. And while they would wrest power of possession soon enough, they invariably recovered themselves trying to break down a profoundly embedded 5-4-1 artifact whenever they controlled nan shot for extended periods

Such is nan attacking firepower possessed by Néstor Lorenzo’s side, however, they didn’t request to really get successful down nan Australian lines to commencement to fashioning looks connected goal. Yáser Asprilla recovered abstraction to sprout successful nan 22nd infinitesimal and Luis Suárez forced a beardown prevention from Izzo a infinitesimal later erstwhile he turned Degenek astatine nan apical of nan box. With nan crippled progressively being played exclusively successful Australia’s half, Díaz many times feinted shooting successful nan 35th infinitesimal earlier flashing a changeable wide, and James forced Izzo into a prevention from a free-kick a fewer minutes later. But nan sometimes 11-deep Socceroos held out.

A mates of free-kicks from Riley McGree – who, alongside Jackson Irvine, was restored to nan starting XI aft a semipermanent wounded layoff – offered dream astatine nan extremity of nan half. But Colombia began to accumulate group pieces erstwhile nan 2nd half resumed arsenic some nan South Americans and nan referee started to get a disappointment pinch nan physicality. The Socceroos, meanwhile, continued to take sides successful extent and arsenic nan crippled progressed, it progressively appeared arsenic though it would beryllium decided by what was heavier: nan Colombian weight of possession aliases nan Australian weight of numbers.

Eventually, it was nan former: James’s punishment opened nan floodgates and nan Socceroos were incapable to respond. The Australians will now person conscionable 1 further model earlier Tony Popovic names his World Cup squad to hone an attacking edge, and conscionable 2 further games aft that earlier nan footballing showpiece commences. The margins location are getting thin, too.