At least our squad is getting a good workout .Lots of minutes for most except Trewin.

Close game with some strange refereeing decisions but we won, we are through the group in top spot. That is all that we could have asked of the boys and they have done it

May take some time for the muscles to unclench after that last 15 minutes or so.

Good to get a win, and good for the diving and exaggerating to not be rewarded in the end.

Deliberate elbow/forearm into the Australian player's neck - totally unnatural to any sort of running movement - then a swinging arm meets with the usual weak legged 'abdominal contusion' flop. You retaliate you get red - silly from our player. Both red would have been more reasonable.

Yeah, I think both red was the better decision but I don't think there was much in it either way so perhap a warning each was the best decision.

Good win but we need to create more chances. Over 60% possession in that first half and 1 shot on target. Next game I’m going with Kusini up top and maybe we can try throwing in some more crosses to him. 

Felt it was a really off game

there was a moment where the ball was pinging from foot to foot in the pen area, showing impressive technique and control in tight spaces, but no one was in a better position than the previous player. Worse, no one was making off the ball movement to create a pocket of space for a shot

It wasn't the best performance compared to the first two games, maybe tournament fatigue is starting to set in?

Either way they need to better on the ball, it seems like the circumstances set in as i saw very little risk in possession or in off the ball movements to pull the Jordan defenders away from their defensive line but they just didn't do enough with it and resulted in poor combinations compared to say the first game.

If they can win their quarter final, i think a semi final spot will be a good effort considering who is not in the squad as well and should be a good boost for qualification for Paris 2024 as they prepare for that.

Now off to the main event in 3 hours later...

I think Hammond was sucked in there, a lesson in international football is to never got fooled by the dark arts that opposition players will do.
A harsh lesson but he will learn from.

I thought Jordan played the best of the three opponents.
I thought there was a lot of playing out from the back under pressure, but none of Brook, Kuol or Pepenion offered much up front so Jordan were able to defend well.

Well we were lucky with the retaken penalty.  How many times do you see a penalty retaking for encroaching the area?

https://youtu.be/DmC24FhaYXw

And so we face Turkmenistan in the quarters. Should be fun as I don’t remember us ever having played them before at any level in recent memory.

Turkmenistan does border Uzbekistan so you’d expect them to have some decent crowd support, and of course be well acclimatised to the conditions. 

Congrats to Turkmenistan who've managed to finish ahead of Iran and Qatar. We'll play them next. 

So glad for Turkmenistan and their green kit is cool. Uzbekistan murdered Qatar 6:0. 

Does look good. Not many teams with green kits.

It was for the keeper moving before kick was taken, but yes very lucky.

Is it bad I’m more invested in the afc under 23 Asian cup then the World Cup? 

I feel like Brook needs to be benched. Been terrible up front constantly turning the ball over. Against Iraq he struggled to get back to defend and constantly left Rawlins marking two players. Would love to see Bernardo get a chance. Feel like him and Miller have a real nack to take on defenders and beat them. Would be awesome on the right together. 

Agree with you.Brook not ready to be at this level-very disappointing.Made life hard for Rawlins as no help.

Yes Bernardo and Miller could be a great combo.

I rate both Brook and Bernardo but there’s a reason why Brook starts nearly every game for us while Bernardo comes off the bench.

Brook’s a bit further in his development but I feel Bernardo will probably go on to have the better career.

It's similar to what I mentioned in another thread re leckie vs Tilio

I feel Brook is just a bit more experienced and "professional" than Bernardo at this stage and can likely follow instructions better and do his other duties ie. defending better.

His lack of end product is beginning to get frustrating but I do like him and think he will come good once he gets his confidence up

Don't know why there's all this hate for Brook, I reckon he's been one of our best. The one that's kind of disappointed me is Kuol - great athlete & can finish, but technically he's a bit sub par. He's a great target man, but he needs to be fed on a silver plater. Garang is far superior footballer technically & should be in the team. They could be great playing in the same team 

I agree on Alou, amazing athlete and a great finish but is poor technically.

Yengi has done well when he played and should be starting since he is also a good athlete who can finish but is technically gifted and can dribble too.

Yeah Yengi has been great - great skills for a big unit. He should walk straight back into the starting team. Jay RB should be back as well

Thanks for posting this. In my head when I watch the Olyroos, I am thinking that these will be the future Socceroos but the reality based on recent history is that less than half will probably ever play for the Socceroos and no more than a small handful will even reach 20 caps. It begs the question of why. You would hope that Football Australia are conscious of this and may have looked at the detailed reasons for why many Olyroos do not progress to become Socceroos. I wonder how this proportion of players going from U23 to Senior national team compares to other countries. Obviously players develop at different rates, but why are so many players that become Socceroos NOT included in these U23 sides, and why do so many U23 players not reach the highest levels. 

It’s a great point you raise. I myself am often guilty of being unrealistically optimistic about our future generations and have to constantly remind myself that the numbers don’t lie.

In terms of picking 9 players from this squad who I think will represent the Socceroos, I’d go with the following:

DEFINITELY
1. JRB
2. Miller
3. Kuol

PROBABLY
4. Gauci
5. Yengi

It's pretty crazy that the team from the Olympics has had 11 players already play for the Socceroos. Though I doubt some of them ever play for the green and gold again still a crazy stat. Wouldn't be surprised if more of that squad end up being Socceroos.
Daniel Arzani
Connor Metcalfe 
Denis Genreau
Riley Mcgree
Joel King
Thomas Deng
Harry Souttar
Nathaniel Atkinson
Nicholas D'Agostino
Marco Tilio
Kye Rowles

Some that may make it in the future:
Cameron Devlin
Keanu Baccus
Caleb Watts
Ashley Maynard-Brewer
Jay Rich-Baghuelou

With Lewis Miller's recent transfer to Hibs in Scotland it gives Australia 3 bright right back prospects for the 2026 campaign providing if they play reguarly.

Atkinson, Rawlins and Miller are decent options, thrown in the likes of Aquilina, Talbot as well and that right side looks to be stacked.

Although not as established as the right side, the left fullbacks are decent prospects too with King already overseas with the likes of Farrell and Bos that have the potential to go to Europe in the future as well.

DEFINITELY
JRB
Miller
Hammond
Kuol

MAYBE
Gauci
Farrell
Francois
Yengi

Thats all imo

So the quarters are set. 

Iraq or Uzbekistan vs Japan or South Korea.

Australia or Turkmenistan vs Saudi Arabia or Vietnam.

Hope we get though. Vietnam and Saudi Arabia have been good. Japan South Korea is a massive clash.