Analysis: Socceroos come out on top in clash of styles

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Analysis: Socceroos come out on top in clash of styles

Adelaide: Australia’s decision to press high up the pitch and attempt to pin Saudi Arabia in their own half throughout their FIFA World Cup qualifying meeting in Adelaide on Thursday just about paid off as Ange Postecoglou’s side ran out 3-2 winners.

While Tomi Juric was the main beneficiary of Australia\u2019s tactics in the first half, scoring twice for his team, the Saudis were able to exploit the Socceroos\u2019 lack of pace in defence on the counterattack to produce a thrilling opening 45 minutes.

Despite being put under pressure for much of the game, Bert van Marwijk\u2019s team sought to keep possession as much as possible, and the move almost paid off thanks to the individual skill and pace of the Saudi midfield and front line.

Salem Al Dawsari and Mohammad Al Sahlawi cancelled out Juric\u2019s double, only for Tom Rogic to score with a fine strike into the top corner that gave Australia a win that puts them back in contention for one of Group B\u2019s automatic berths in Russia next year.

Socceroos defend from the front

Australia\u2019s dominance of the ball was significant in the opening 15 minutes, with Postecoglou\u2019s team holding almost 56 percent of possession and much of the game being played in the middle third or close to the Saudi Arabia penalty area.

That pattern changed as the half wore on, with the Saudis becoming more assertive after conceding the opening goal and, although Australia still had a lot of the ball, more of the game was being played in the Australian third of the pitch. That pressure paid off with Al Dawsari\u2019s equaliser in the 23rd\u00a0minute.

Indeed, the Saudis were dominant for the final 15 minutes of the first period, holding the ball for 53.5 percent of the time at a time when both teams registered on the scoresheet again.

The key change to the game came, however, in the second half. Postecoglou\u2019s introduction of Aziz Behich for the ineffective Brad Smith saw Australia become more assertive, possessing the ball for almost two-thirds of the first 15 minutes of the half. Tellingly, 36.3 percent of the play took place in the Saudi third of the field as Australia became more assertive.

Australia took the lead through Rogic\u2019s strike in the 63rd minute and from there the home side sought to tighten things up, with Robbie Kruse\u2019s introduction for Jackson Irvine ensuring the Saudi full backs remained hesitant about pushing forward.

While the Saudis had much more of the ball in the final 30 minutes, much of the game was still played in their third of the field as Australia successfully defended their lead from the front.

Juric doubles up as pressure pays off

The signs the Saudi defence would be put under pressure were evident from the first whistle and Juric almost capitalised as early as the third minute when the striker managed to block Yasser Al Mosailem\u2019s attempted clearance, only for the ball to bounce to safety.

A continuation of the same approach, however, brought the opening goal when Al Mosailem rushed his next clearance, slipped and the ball fell to Juric in an advanced position, allowing him to score into an empty goal.

The early pressure bore fruit but, with the intensity of the Socceroos\u2019 pressing dropped after the opening goal, the Saudis pulled themselves back into the game, with Al Sahlawi scoring his side\u2019s second to ensure the teams went in level at half-time.

Behich introduction makes the difference

The introduction of Behich at the start of the second half for Brad Smith gave Socceroos a boost.

Average position of substitute Aziz Behich

Smith had struggled to keep Saudi full back Mohammed Al Burayk at bay, and it was from his cross field ball to Taisser Al Jassam that Al Sahlawi scored Saudi Arabia\u2019s second equaliser.

Behich, however, kept Al Burayk pinned back deeper into his own half, ensuring Australia controlled that flank.

The Australian wingback rarely ventured into his own half as the Socceroos kept the Saudis pinned in their own half and was a key reason behind the visitors\u2019 inability to break at pace as they had in the first half to such devastating effect.