Australia 1 Cameroon 0
The onset of winter in Sydney gave fans plenty of warning to rug up for a Friday night in the elements, but they were warmed by the Socceroos who came good after weathering the early stages. The introduction of Nestory Irankunda was key to Australia unlocking the Cameroon defence, although they looked to have missed their (forever) golden chance after Devis Epassy made a simple save from Ajden Hrustic’s penalty with twenty minutes remaining. Cue Jordy Bos, ghosting into the box to finish off a smart move to give Tony Popovic an important win in their farewell game to Sydney before the FIFA World Cup in June and to spare us from a needless penalty shootout. The result was good, but there was much to discuss after the game and the fallout from the first-half display may be seen on Tuesday in Melbourne’s second farewell.
Uncle Michael West welcomed the fans to Accor Stadium, the rain having disappeared to unveil a beautiful Sydney evening, the Socceroos Active fans having trouble with the damp green and gold flags that were heaving in the stiff breeze. The period between games at a double-header, a proper one-ticket occasion, is always a strange one, the China fans having vacated the stadium en masse following their team’s 2-0 success over Curacao earlier in the night, uninterested in Australia v Cameroon. The Aussie fans at the Brewery at the Novotel next to the stadium were watching the Friday night footy, there was not a single activation in front of the stadium, save for a huge excavator which seemed to have no context whatsoever with the national teams, football or Australia. This was a far cry from last Saturday’s huge event here, and with the neighbouring Easter Show ready but dormant, the stadium precinct was quite a sorry sight. The anthems were well received by the paltry crowd, the Cameroon national hymn strikingly close to La Marseillaise, while the Australian national anthem was its usual rousing rally cry.
The silence at the opening whistle was again stark compared to the booming music that had filled the stadium in the lead-up, Australia’s line-up a hotchpotch of established quality, unknown quantities and first-team hopefuls. The Socceroos were immediately on the attack, Jacob Italiano’s low cross touched behind with Martin Boyle steaming into the box and Riley McGree was caught by Emmanuel Moungam to get the crowd off their seats. Passes were wayward playing out from the back, Alessandro Circati guilty of a dreadful pass when trying the long ball. Connor Metcalfe looked laid back as if on holiday, casually stroking one-touch passes out from the middle of midfield, and Italiano was full of running. Lucas Herrington was the next to be loose playing out from the back, and Cameroon won a series of corners, Arthur Avom lifting into the area, but Australia were resolute.
Surprise striker Demi Juric was clattered as he raced after a hopeful ball from Metcalfe, but received no sympathy from the referee, Cameroon putting the ball out when it was obvious he was in pain. Young Herrington looked composed and unflustered on his maiden appearance, Italiano took a hefty knock as the Cameroon midfield pressed; the Socceroos were holding their own against an opponent known for their physicality, Boyle handing out a reminder to his man with a late challenge. Maty Ryan plucked a ball out of the air before English Premier League referee Rob Jones made it difficult for the players, getting in the way trying to hurdle a ball with two opponents converging on the ball. Boyle was flattened in the box, Metcalfe handing out the retribution moments later, barging over Oliver Kamdem. This certainly was a tough game without being niggly, both teams unafraid to go in for low-percentage challenges. The referee was keeping the ball moving as much as he could, some of the challenges bordering on assault.
This was absorbing if not particularly entertaining, both teams decked out in classic kits, the Socceroos new number out this week and the Cameroon kit evoking memories of the glory years of football in the football-mad country. Juric didn’t look out of place up front, aided and abetted by Riley McGree’s advanced midfield position, but we were still waiting for the first real chance on goal. Italiano fashioned an opening from nothing on the right, McGree chose not to shoot with the crowd urging him on and Juric’s shot was eventually blocked. Cameroon got themselves into good positions, but the delivery into the area was woeful. When they did make it to the box, Kamdem was more interested in winning a penalty than making the most of Christian Kofane’s through ball. For the first time in football since the introduction of the new additional time rules for Qatar 2022, a half of football ended on 45 minutes, quite puzzling given the fact that we’d had both cards and stoppages.
A half-time reenactment of the 2005 penalty shootout save by Mark Schwarzer followed by an underwhelming repeat of the John Aloisi winner had the 20,000+ crowd interested as the half-time heroes went about their life-or-death mini-games. Cameroon were out for the second half well before their hosts, Boyle replaced by Awer Mabil and Nestory Irankunda on for Juric. Perhaps Tony Popovic had not been impressed by what he had seen in the first period. And the opening stages of the second half looked good for the home team, as they strode around confidently, drawing fouls from their more physical opponents. Mabil was close to connecting with a hopeful cross from the left, Bos won a corner from nothing on a rampaging run up the left, but there was still nothing to show in the shots on target column. The 50-strong pack of Socceroos active fans behind the Cameroon goal were doing their best to create atmosphere, but it was a hard slog., the acoustics of this stadium notoriously rubbish and the wind not helping. Ryan Fosso smashed one over the bar from distance, Italiano took a heavy knock but was still full of running. Mabil was slow to turn with the ball and was easily picked off, Cameroon not taking full advantage, this was quite a frustrating watch.
With Irankunda changing his boots and Italiano getting more running repairs, if this was a World Cup third-round group stage do-or-die shoot-out, one of these teams would need to go for it and cast off the shackles to get the win. It was unclear at this stage who that team would be. Popa went to his bench with a triple substitution as Metcalfe was receiving lengthy treatment, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aidan Hrustic and Cam Burgess all on. The entertainment had evaporated – if there was ever a time for a Mexican wave it was now. Or a goal. Italiano was close to finding Irankunda, but his ball in from the right was just too high, and when the ball went out to Aidan O’Niell, he was taken down in the penalty area. Play went on, the referee not interested, but at the next stoppage, the referee was invited to the screen, somehow VAR in operation today after making no decisions in the first game of the double-header, and the stonewall penalty was awarded. Up stepped recently-introduced Aidan Hrustic with his trusty left foot and found the arms of captain Devis Epassy, a thoroughly appropriate penalty execution in tune with the rest of the game.
This could and should have woken the game up, Burgess went close with a header after great work by Irankunda, and Irankunda himself worked some magic to keep a ball in that almost unlocked the Cameroon defence, but the rusty Mabil had strayed frustratingly offside. A stray plastic bag blew around the field, the urban equivalent to tumbleweed, but the 23,798 fans were still engaged, Irankunda again the architect with a surging run that brought a smart stop from Epassy. The crowd was at fever pitch as Mabil’s hopeful cross somehow got through to Irankunda, and the expectation was not met with reality as the gun striker’s shot was wildly wide. Another triple substitution brought some anticipation, Milos Degenek, Kai Trewin and Patrick Yazbek brought into the fray, and finally we had a goal. The Socceroos were building something, Okon-Engstler looked for Hrustic who just couldn’t reach the ball, and that unwitting feint allowed Jordy Bos to break free and calmly stroke the ball home for 1-0, no suggestion of VAR or offside. Maty Ryan’s courageous leap to claim a long ball moments later allowed the Socceroos a moment to compose themselves – they had five minutes to hold on, or even to go on and embellish the scoreline.
Irankunda bulldozed through the middle but forgot to offload, eliciting a tackle, a yellow card for the aggressor and a visit from the medical staff; a glance to his right and he could have set one of two teammates away on goal. The yellow card meant that Irankunda didn’t need to go off, and he was free to hit the free kick, and he did, the ball dipping in front of the goalkeeper, who grabbed the ball before there was further damage. The three minutes of stoppage time were without incident, Herrington having coughed up possession with the final kick but there was no time to pay for it. Irankunda dropped to the ground at the final whistle, his injury perhaps more than we thought.
The Socceroos had given a good account for themselves as the game wore on, the win was important, the opponents had been worthy and the crowd was engaged just enough to give a positive vibe heading to Melbourne. A fitting farewell to the Sydney crowd and for those bound for the FIFA World Cup. Were we entertained? Looking back on the game, we cannot deny there were positive moments that will have the supporters looking forward to their North American vacation in June, and the fact that the Socceroos turned what looked like a draw into a win was encouraging with the World Cup group stages in mind.
Post-match, following a difficult press conference with Cameroon coach David Pagou, Tony Popovic seemed happy with what he had seen. The heavy pitch, especially in the first half, had left his players fatigued, and that could play a part in his selections for the next game. There was praise for Herrington and Italiano, no injury concerns for Metcalfe after he was replaced, and getting the win and being able to bring in players at the same time was a massive bonus.
We move on to Tuesday now and a tough game against another physical team in Curacao. Get your tickets and see the Socceroos off to Vancouver with a smile.