Australia defeated 3-1 by impressive Korean oufit

September 5, 2009

Australia submitted their first away defeat in over a year with a 3-1 loss to South Korea at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday night.

The two teams that topped their respective pools in the Asian leg of next year’s World Cup were such a contrast to each other; Korea on the back of an unbeaten run of 24 games and qualifying for a record seventh World Cup asserted their home advantage with a full strength side outplaying an understrength Socceroos squad, who have qualified for their third Word Cup and hoping to compliment their promotion to 14th in the FIFA World Rankings with an away win.

Australia were missing several key players including the influential trio of Lucas Neill, Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell, while the hosts fielded a vastly experienced line-up.

Australia started slowly and were immediately behind five minutes into the match with Park Chu Young scoring a well-taken goal as the Socceroos defence was breached for just the third time in the last 12 matches.

Australia turned the ball over in midfield with Lee Chung Yong feeding Park Chu Young who scored comfortably past an exposed Mark Schwarzer, captaining in the absence of the clubless Lucas Neill.
The home team opened with the momentum and it was no surprise when the lead was doubled 15 minutes later.

Lee Jung Soo flicked home from close range at the near post after a static Australia defence allowed Kim Jung-Woo a free header into the goalmouth from a free kick.

With the Socceroos surviving several scares and under significant pressure, the direction of the match changed as Patrick Kisnorbo scored his first goal for Australia.

Kisnorbo headed home from close range after taking advantage of some hesitant goalkeeping from Lee Woon Jae who had failed to claim a Mark Bresciano free kick from a wide position.

Australia used Mark Milligan’s long throw to upset the Korea defence on a number of occasions with Shane Steffanutto getting on the end of one such moment mid-way through the second half, but the North Queensland Fury full-back’s spectacular volley was tipped over the crossbar by Lee Woon Jae.

The Socceroos second-half performance was an improvement and always looked likely to secure an equaliser.

But Korea claimed the sealer three minutes from time with Ki Sung Yueng scoring with a header following a class run and cross from Manchester United midfielder Park Ji Sung.

The goal was awarded on advice of the assistant referee who ruled the ball had crossed the line despite Schwarzer’s intervention.

In the dying moments Josh Kennedy seemed set to pull a goal back but his header hit the post after another free kick from Bresciano.

The result sees the Socceroos having conceded 3 goals for the first time under Pim Verbeek and not since their loss to Iraq in the 2007 Asian Cup.

A lot of expectation was tagged on Australia with their meteoric rise in the rankings, but with key players injured or finalising club commitments, fringe players have got their chance to show their stuff before the World Cup squad is finalised next year, and will continue to do so with a friendly against the Dutch in Sydney next month and Asian Cup qualifiers against Oman later in the year.

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