Mexico 1-0 Australia: spirited Socceroos fall to El Tri in friendly ahead of World Cup – as it happened
Socceroos fight back in second half but fail to convert opportunities at California’s Rose Bowl Stadium“This game is a good opportunity for Popovic to show what he’s learned (if anything),” emails James Paraskevas. “The honeymoon period is over. Our last game at home against a Japan C Team playing for nothing in qualifying left a lot to be desired. We need to be better than that. We’ve got good enough players to be playing some sort of football, whilst still remaining responsible at the back. Popovic hasn’t found that balance yet, and is probably underestimating us and overestimating the opposition at the same time. Because of this, I see a 2-0 victory for Mexico. We could maybe get one goal, but the players need to be allowed some freedom.”Jack Snape has the latest on the permutations facing Socceroos coach Tony Popovic as he whittles his squad down to 26. His decision making has been complicated significantly by an untimely hamstring injury to key midfielder Riley McGree.Popovic was poised to deploy McGree in one of the hybrid midfielder/winger roles in his 3-4-2-1 system. One of Mabil, Leckie, Ajdin Hrustic, Martin Boyle and Nestory Irankunda is likely to be the beneficiary of McGree’s absence. Continue reading...
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Socceroos fight back in second half but fail to convert opportunities at California’s Rose Bowl Stadium
“This game is a good opportunity for Popovic to show what he’s learned (if anything),” emails James Paraskevas. “The honeymoon period is over. Our last game at home against a Japan C Team playing for nothing in qualifying left a lot to be desired. We need to be better than that. We’ve got good enough players to be playing some sort of football, whilst still remaining responsible at the back. Popovic hasn’t found that balance yet, and is probably underestimating us and overestimating the opposition at the same time. Because of this, I see a 2-0 victory for Mexico. We could maybe get one goal, but the players need to be allowed some freedom.”
Jack Snape has the latest on the permutations facing Socceroos coach Tony Popovic as he whittles his squad down to 26. His decision making has been complicated significantly by an untimely hamstring injury to key midfielder Riley McGree.
Popovic was poised to deploy McGree in one of the hybrid midfielder/winger roles in his 3-4-2-1 system. One of Mabil, Leckie, Ajdin Hrustic, Martin Boyle and Nestory Irankunda is likely to be the beneficiary of McGree’s absence.
Continue reading...
