AFC Asian Qualifiers
The win was Australia’s first of the campaign after losing to Bahrain and drawing with Indonesia in September and came when goals from Lewis Millar and Craig Goodwin cancelled out Xie Wenning’s 20th minute opener for the visitors with debutant Nishan Velupillay adding a third in stoppage time.
The result also leaves China PR rooted to the bottom of Group C without a point, the loss a third in a row for Branko Ivankovic’s side after defeats in September against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Popovic replaced long-time captain Maty Ryan between the posts with Joe Gauci as the new coach made five changes to the team that was held to a 0-0 draw by Indonesia in Jakarta last month in Graham Arnold’s last game at the helm before resigning.
The new-look Australians shaded the opening exchanges but, by the 20th minute, Gauci was picking the ball out of his net.
Wang Dalei’s punt forward was headed on by Zhang Yuning and Xie sprinted through the defence, evading Harry Souttar before expertly clipping a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner of the Socceroos’ goal.
The Australians continued to dominate but were unable to prise open the Chinese back line, with Wang not having to make a save in the opening 45 minutes and Duke’s wayward effort was indicative of the hosts’ struggles.
That changed, however, two minutes into injury time when Goodwin swung over a free-kick from the left after Nestory Irankunda had been fouled and Millar emerged to thump a powerful header beyond the Chinese goalkeeper’s reach.
Souttar denied the Chinese an immediate response when he slid in to steal the ball off the toe of Fei Nanduo as the Brazil-born striker sprinted towards goal, with Jiang Guangtai ballooning his header from the resulting corner harmlessly into the air.
Half-time substitute Baihelamu Abuduwaili tried his luck six minutes into the second half, bending his shot wide of Gauci’s goal with the Chinese looking to regain the lead but, two minutes later, it was the Australians who went in front.
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Jackson Irvine’s incisive pass from the halfway line found Goodwin in an abundance of space and the former Adelaide United winger let fly from more than 25 yards with a searing left foot shot that gave Wang no chance.
Riley McGree dragged his attempt to add to Australia’s lead off target just short of the hour mark and Millar fired a late effort over the bar before Velupillay slotted past Wang deep into injury time to seal the win.
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