Lebanon going to ground way too easily and the ref giving them all.

Foot injury for McGree

Bit scary to see Bos grab at his knee.

Fuck that was scary. I thought for sure Bos was done and probably missing the Olympics too

Baccus and Rowles have a yellow so far this round. 3 for a ban? Lebanon faking is just so bad....

hopefully bos is ok. Please not another acl

That's it for Bos

This ground is cursed. Souttar, McGree and Bos injured. FFS there goes the Olympic qualifiers no doubt too. Hope it's nothing bad. More 6 weeks than 6 months. 

I mean he was able to at least get back on for a bit. Yet they do the scan and see there is indeed a tear. Can just hope walking off means a hard jar than anything worse.

Just hope he doesn't need surgery or else he'll miss the Olympics too which is a MAJOR blow. Tbf he was never playing the Olympic qualifiers but this is why people hate international breaks, the amount of injuries we get from youth level all the way up to senior level is mind boggling. 

Is the rule that we've already used 2 of the 3 potential substitution breaks? If we sub again we can only do it once? Would mean up to 3 newbies at once.

Taggart as slow and heavy touch as usual 

just trots around 

Hrustic on right, Metcalf left. Very overstretched and ad hoc now. Midfield thin and defence very high. 

despite the goal baccus a bit sloppy today. I guess the lack of game time at club level getting to him

Bos didn't even get time to warmup. not surprised an injury happened, not to mention Australian pitches where you may as well be playing on cement 

When he's getting a lot of game time at his club he was still sloppy. That's his level. You can never trust him at DM.

Daniel Garb reporting 

"The early word from the @Socceroos is Bos’ knee is stable but it’s going to need further assessment. McGree had his icepack removed as he went into the rooms at half time which is encouraging."


This is optimistic news!

During the match, each team may replace up to a maximum of five players and has a maximum of three substitution opportunities. Substitutions may also be made at half-time; these do not count as used substitution opportunities.

So, essentially.... yes, but half time changes can be made on top of this. So I'd expect a half time change to be honest.


If players or team officials receive two cautions in one match (in matches decided by penalties) or in two different matches of the competition, they will be automatically suspended from their team’s subsequent match.

I might have to get more info on that, because to me, that sounds like it could be one of two ways:

• 2 yellow cards in separate matches in the entire round (so each group phase is a different competition)
• 2 yellow cards in consecutive matches (one in each match, then suspended for the third)

Arnold no clue as always.   Bos is not a left winger ffs.  Let alone rowels isn't a left back.   Add to that taggart has been absolute trash and the touch of a rapist.  No creativity in this team again as Annie's style absolute trash 

AFC official website? I always find it hard to find these regulations. I'm confused as I recall an Asian Cup of yesteryear being 3 cards and maybe qualifiers too. I didn't know about the HT subs not counting. 

These are the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition (qualifiers) regulations.

https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/18d857c3ec3e64f8/original/FIFA-World-Cup-2026-Preliminary-Competition_EN.pdf

Just an addition to the yellow card thing: I'm actually now reading it as suspension after the second yellow card at any point in the competition (including being carried over into the next stage of qualifiers, but not carried over into the Final tournament).

Interestingly we have only won 40 percent of duels, a stat we normally dominate.

Didnt boyle need a knee reconstruction even tho he seemed to be playing fine? Hopefully not one of those sleeper injuries

Simon Hill just read my mind, I was about to ask about the black armband

Taggart has plenty of good first touches in A League games. A League clubs are better than Lebanon. It's just not going to click every single time. Sure he has to do better yet a 100% touch rate is unrealistic.  Taggart is bogged down by Arnold's system which has changed over time compared to when he was leading well from the front. Now with Hrustic on hopefully there'll be better service as the middle 3 of Baccus, Irvine and Metcalfe were shocking at getting the ball through that half. 

Cheers

Frustrating to watch. Hrustic has look good. Yengi and Taggart can't seem to control the ball right now. Irvine looking in good positioning

Hrustic gliding and passing like that is great. Now Taggart, don't channel your inner Robbie Kruse. Stay onside! Three times now. Surely a record for how quickly that's happened.

Hmm not happy with taggarts off side awareness tho the last one was harsh

Hopefully it's a good sign that Bos was able to walk and run around a little bit afterwards. Hoping it's just a jarr