Santa Clara: Non-believers in Australia regard soccer’s low scoring rate, in comparison to the other football codes, as a fatal flaw. Presenting the case for the defence was this game: the stalemate of Santa Clara; the biscotto in the Bay Area; the sweetest scoreless draw in the Socceroos’ World Cup history.
Millions of Australians stopped work and ditched responsibilities on Friday to gather around their nearest screen to watch Australia take on Paraguay. It was never part of the deal that they would be entertained; just that they would feel something.
And that feeling you’re feeling right now: the release; the realisation that we get to do this all again next week in the first knockout round of the greatest thing in world sport – that’s what it’s all about.
Sure, a goal would have been nice, to help relax the nerves – and a confidence-boosting win also would have done wonders for the Socceroos’ mental state, as they look ahead to the knockout stage.
But, in the end, the chief combatants got what they came for.
The Socceroos got a point, the minimum they required to seal second spot and a showdown with Group G’s second-placed team in Dallas next week. They also got a performance that, let’s say, gives them something to build on. Paraguay didn’t lose, which means they’re still a good chance of joining them in the round of 32.
And everyone who tuned in back home – plus all the gold shirts in the crowd of 68,827 at Levi’s Stadium – got what they wanted, as well: a reason to party.
For just the third time in Australia’s World Cup history, the Socceroos have made it past the first hurdle. Don’t take it for granted.
Even coach Tony Popovic did his bit, tossing in a few party favours on the team sheet. He made six changes to the side that was outclassed by the United States last week in Seattle, doing what most of the country had been egging him on to do: start Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato and Connor Metcalfe together, while finding a way to unlock the caged beast that is Jordan Bos.
For a guy widely seen as a defensively minded coach, this was a statement of outright aggression from Popovic.
It almost worked.
From the first whistle, the Socceroos immediately looked better than they did against the US. They were stronger in the duels, winning most of the second balls, and able to assert themselves physically on the contest, rather than getting monstered themselves. That was a good platform to start with.
Bos has been described (rightfully) as a young, Aussie version of Gareth Bale – but he actually grew up idolising Arjen Robben, the Dutch winger. Robben played on the right, and had one move: cut inside onto his dominant left foot and wreak havoc. Everyone knew what he was going to do; the hard bit was stopping it.
Here, Bos got to live out his dreams of emulating Robben.
Replacing the injured Jacob Italiano at right wing-back, Bos took aggressive positions, combining with Volpato, another left-footer, who was stationed just ahead of him. He was so far advanced that, in possession, the Socceroos played with a back four, with Alessandro Circati shifting over to cover the right flank.
Most of Australia’s attack in the first half went down that right side, seeking to exploit the chaos these two would create. All the best chances were taken or created by one of them – but the execution was never quite there.
At the back, there wasn’t much to worry about. Early on, Paraguay seemed to target Lucas Herrington with long balls, only to abandon that strategy when it became apparent that this 18-year-old kid, the youngest World Cup starter in Socceroos history, just doesn’t get frazzled.
The South Americans didn’t get their first shot on target until the 50th minute. It’s not that they weren’t trying to attack, but they weren’t exactly going out of their way to do so. For them, a draw worked quite nicely, and that became abundantly clear with each mini-example of time-wasting hijinks, each bout of cramp that seemed perfectly designed to drain the clock.
They made Australia sweat a couple of times towards the end, but really, they had Paraguay covered.
Ultimately, the Socceroos dominated this game, in a way that Hakan Calhanoglu – the Turkey star who gave Australia no credit for their opening game efforts – wouldn’t understand. Bos never stopped charging down the right, putting in a tireless shift that deserved more of a reward. But as the match wore on, the action dried up, and the realisation that the status quo suited everyone seemed to be mutually accepted.
So, here we are. Into the knockout stage. Savour the emotion, forget the rest, and bring on one of Belgium, Egypt or Iran. Australia lives to fight another day.
