Australia 5 Curacao 1
We had been thoroughly entertained by Cameroon and China in the early evening fixture of this FIFA Series double-header; now it was time for the main event. The Socceroos looked supremely confident in their warm-up, Martin Boyle, Riley McGree and Cam Burgess knocking the ball to each other with various levels of spin and deceit, trying to catch each other out, making light of every ball they received. Meanwhile, the Curacao team warmed up a little gingerly, as if overawed by the occasion. AAMI Park was at half capacity, the North Terrace almost full, with swathes of empty seats elsewhere in the stadium, another disappointing farewell crowd for the Socceroos. F*ck Off Sydney FC chanted the Melbourne-centric fans in the active area, proving that club does come over country in some parts of Australia, and proving that Melbourne Victory fans really are a special bunch. The well-worn pre-game routine, scaled back from the AFC Women’s Cup, had the fans captivated, the watermelon away strip getting its first airing for the home team, while Curacao continued in their Real Madrid uniform that wasn’t exactly their lucky shirt last week against China.
This was a slow-burner; the action took a little time to heat up, the Socceroos venturing forward but unable to find a way through into the penalty area. Curacao’s first meaningful attack saw former Manchester United prodigy Tahith Chong cut in from the right and shoot, Maty Ryan got down well to push away the effort and when it looked as though Brandley Kuwas would pounce, the flag went up to curtail his efforts. Deni Juric looked a little off the pace, reacting slowly while his marker anticipated, and Curacao were giving away the ball too often, the Australian defence, with young Lucas Herrington maintaining his spot, purring like a Rolls Royce. With twenty minutes on the clock already, the seagulls circling in the sky, and with Ryan delaying the long punts forward, the entertainment was remarkably low. This was a million miles from the thrills and spills of Cameroon v China. And then, just like that, without warning, the Socceroos scored. It was an innocuous moment on the right where Curacao coughed up possession, a low ball played in by Kai Trewin to Juric, who may or may not have got a meaningful touch and the ball rolled through for Awer Mabil to poke home for the opening goal.
Ajdin Hristic was in the clear soon after, racing on to a hopeful long ball, but with cries of shoot in his ears, he tried the spectacular and got it all wrong. The spark though hadn’t ignited the fire and the Socceroos reverted to where they had started the game. Juric showed superb feet to spin away from trouble, Aiden O’Neill undoing all the good work with a wayward pass out to Mabil on the right, and Curacao enjoyed a lot of possession, however meaningless. A glorious ball up the left by captain Leandro Bacuna sent Jeremy Antonisse around the back and his shot was well saved by Ryan at the expense of a corner. This could be the Achilles heel, but the delivery was poor and the Socceroos were able to clear. Mabil won a corner on the left and took his own set piece, curling in a cross that caused consternation in the Curacao defence, but again with no end-product. Juric could have done better when he intercepted a loose pass across the back, and Chong may have done better with a cross-shot that sailed over Ryan’s cross bar. This was low-quality entertainment, five minutes out from half-time and with the crowd barely enthused. Juninho Bacuna was in the wars as he was on Friday but at least he didn’t get the physio team involved.
The Socceroos pressed, Awer Mabil getting on the end of Hrustic’s cross from the left but his thumping volley came off the outside of the post. Hrustic wasn’t moving well and eventually made his way to the bench, Nishan Velupillay being told to put his bib back on, the home team playing with ten for the two minutes of added time. This was peculiar to see, Curacao almost catching out the undermanned Socceroos with a clever free kick that left a man spare at the far post, but the cross was just too high. English Premier League referee Andy Madley blew the whistle for half-time and a comfortable half for the Socceroos was brought to a close, with hopes of a second half improvement as we saw against Cameroon on Friday.
Another reenactment of the big moments from the unforgettable 2005 Uruguay game brought smiles to the crowd during the break, the presentation of caps to an eclectic range of national team players was well received, and the half-time mini-roos made way for the remaining squad members of each country, Paul Okon-Engstler already stripped and ready for action alongside Velupillay. The Aussies were ready to go on the attack in the second half. It was in fact a trio of substitutions, Jason Geria also on, and instead it was Curacao who went on the offensive, Ryan plucking a cross out of the sky before the bustling Gervane Kastaneer could get airborne to challenge. The North Terrace was bouncing again to the same anti-Sydney FC chant, as goalkeeper Ryan found something on the field at the other end, keeping his eye on the game as he dropped it behind the goal. All of a sudden it was 1-1, and Kastaneer played a big part in it, flicking on a ball that found Rowles flat-footed and Arjany Martha out-paced his man to slot the ball underneath Ryan for a smart equaliser. Boos rang around AAMI Park, and even a belated VAR check couldn’t find anything wrong with the goal.
Kastaneer was too quick for Rowles again, winning a free-kick which was cleared unconvincingly and when Rowles took too long to clear, the ball spun in the air, just not falling for Leandro Bacuna for the spectacular finish. Juric was wasteful, and there was unease as Curacao started to boss the game in midfield. A quadruple substitution by Tony Popovic followed a double change by the all-whites as Australia looked to wrestle back the contest, the sight of Nestory Irankunda and Jordy Bos very welcome in an increasingly anxious stadium. Mabil’s wayward shot when well-placed was poor but when Behich was upended on the left with his final contribution, Irankunda and McGree fashioned the cross and Alessandro Circati steamed in to power home a header for 2-1. As instant impacts go, this was indeed instantaneous. Trewin crossed straight onto the head of Irankunda moments later but his header just cleared the crossbar. This was more like it. We had the makings of a performance on our hands.
Jordy Bos got to the byline on the left to drill in a low ball for McGree, but his airswing left him on the ground, but we didn’t have to wait long for the next goal, Bos trying to find space for a shot as the defence opened up, and when he hit traffic, he swivelled and unleashed a stunning right-foot strike that curled around Eloy Room and in off the post for a stunning third goal. The game had completely changed complexion, we were wondering just how many now instead of wondering whether the game would disappear from Australia’s grasp altogether. Curacao still had a hand in the game, Martha with a lovely cross from the right that was well cleared by Jason Geria, and fifteen minutes still remained of normal time as Leandro Bacuna powered in a header that Ryan saved well. Cue a fourth goal, created by Jordy Bos and squeezed in by Irankunda after the most delicate footwork took him waltzing around the last defender. The shot was straight at Room, but squirmed underneath him and trickled into the net, that being the last input of the Curacao goalkeeper before being replaced as Irankunda produced a white sequined glove and showed the crowd his Michael Jackson moves to go wt the impressive back-flip.
The Socceroos were unrelenting, Irankunda spraying the ball around effortlessly, and when Velupillay squeezed a ball through the backline, Irankunda got his shot away, finding the gap between replacement goalkeeper Tyrick Bodak’s legs for 5-1. Irankunda fell awkwardly to give us a break with five minutes remaining, but he was back on moments later to huge applause. Sontje Hansen bent a free kick just over the bar to remind the Socceroos where they had been only 25 minutes earlier, and incredibly the 16,764 crowd was denied any additional time by the EPL referee team, the stadium bursting into Men at Work as the players gathered in the centre of the park to shake hands. A trophy plinth was brought onto the field, along wih a table and banners, this was going to be a proper presentation; the referees and all the players remained on the field with all of the team officials. They would need to be quick though as the crowd was filtering away into the night, the Socceroos disappearing behind the goal for a photo opportunity with their adoring fans before returning for the formalities. Irankunda was named as player of the tournament, despite only a cameo tonight, Curacao received participation medals, there were photos behind a banner for the losing team before the Socceroos were invited to collect their spoils and embarrassingly lifting the trophy to the very thin crowd left inside the stadium.
Coach Tony Popovic lauded the win based upon the foundations laid in the first half, but acknowledged that the Socceroos had conceded a soft goal and were sloppy for five minutes following the equaliser. His opposite numbr Fred Rutten, answering questions in English and in Dutch, was disappointed to concede four goals in eleven minutes; it had been a long week, a lot of travel and with three absent players plying their trade in Holland’s top tier, they did have decisions to make ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Melbourne’s farewell to the Socceroos will be remembered for the game-changing Nestory Irankuda and Jordy Bos; for those with a little more skin in the game, it may be remembered for the way Australia struggled through 60 uninspiring minutes but still ended up with a handsome victory. Is this tournament form? Are we getting results despite of the performance? It’s all pointing to a very positive World Cup campaign, where our country could have a new set of heroes when they return from North America. Ten weeks and counting, see you there.
