Socceroos’ win shows why we no longer need Tim
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Sometimes things happen when you least expect them to.
Take Tuesday night’s performance in Sydney as the Socceroos produced their most complete performance of Ange Postecoglou’s reign with a 4-0 win over Oman in the Asian Cup – suggesting the Tim Cahill-centric era could be over.
Few people would have thought this would be the night – and some fans might yet realise it’s happened.
But through Massimo Luongo’s creativity, Robbie Kruse’s resurgence and the development of the wider side’s chemistry, the national team now has other avenues to goal.
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While Cahill is still capable of a starting berth, surely the discerning Socceroos fan would rather see Tomi Juric or Nathan Burns get their chance to make the No.9 their own.
It should also be remembered the comprehensive display was a surprise for a few reasons, making the win more impressive.
The coach said pre-game he would keep his team fresh for a long Asian Cup run, and true to that word he replaced James Troisi, Aziz Behich and the injured Mile Jedinak with Matt McKay, Jason Davidson and Mark Milligan.
Add that to the fact Oman played superbly to only lose 1-0 in their first Asian Cup game against South Korea and to the memories of the frustrating 2-2 draw between the sides at the same stadium in March 2013, and therein lay concern.
Is Tim Cahill no longer a necessity for the Socceroos? Photo: Getty
But everything went the way of the green and gold with Luongo winning more hearts by showing poise beyond his years, Kruse regaining some of that pre-2014 World Cup swagger and the back four, plus keeper Mat Ryan, going blunder free.
That Cahill didn’t score and played only 50 minutes in a comprehensive win should be Australia’s most encouraging lesson from the game – even if the opposition were not fantastic.
An attacking trio picked without Cahill who provides experience, reliability and that amazing knack for a headed goal, may falter at times, but the manner in which Kruse, Mathew Leckie, Burns and Juric have not relied on him this Asian Cup shows he is no longer an imperative.
In the 27th minute Oman’s resilience caved as an open Trent Sainsbury headed down a corner to a similarly free Matt McKay to hook the ball into Al Al-Habsi’s goal.
If the first goal fell in the Socceroos’ lap the second’s creativity made up for it as Kruse found Luongo from midfield, where he chipped the ball back to the former.
That put Kruse through on goal, outpacing the Oman defence and slotting his side’s second goal in the 30th minute.
As the half wore on Cahill, Leckie and Kruse again all had chances to add to the Socceroos’ advantage.
Mark Milligan scores from the penalty spot against Oman. Photo: Getty
The third eventually came from a Milligan penalty in bizarre circumstances.
The Melbourne Victory skipper was disallowed a goal just after Cahill was fouled in the box and instead of playing advantage the referee made the midfielder take the penalty. The conversation saw the Socceroos go into the break with a 3-0 lead.
As the Socceroos controlled the match into the second half they scored another brilliant goal in the 70th minute through Juric who latched onto a sumptuous Leckie cross for his first national team strike.
The Socceroos’ defensive pressure and composure of distribution from the back, thanks to Sainsbury, was just as relentless and smooth as the side’s offensive cohesion.
Given his irresistibility, Cahill should start on the bench with either Burns, Leckie or Juric taking up the central striking role – and bring him on if we need him.
Drama is something Cahill has always loved and if we need his heading heroics to finish off a cross later in the tournament he can be called upon.
Australia’s showing was the complete opposite to the night’s earlier game in Canberra where the highly fancied South Korea managed to survive several scares, defeating a desperate Kuwait 1-0.
The win sees the Socceroos qualify for the quarter-finals along with South Korea, making Saturday’s game between the teams a dead rubber.
The winner, however, should avoid Japan until the final should they make it.