Australia 2-0 Iraq at nib Stadium in Perth
Massimo Luongo and Tomi Juric goals give Socceroos victory
1.36pm BST
It wasn’t a vintage performance by any means but Australia were worthy 2-0 winners. If Iraq had been awarded a decent penalty shout in the first half it could have been awkward but the home side’s class eventually told later on.
“Patience and persistence are key,” skipper Mile Jedinak said afterwards, and you’d think this is the template for home fixtures for the Socceroos this campaign. Away sides pressing hard and playing for a clean sheet, Australia huffing and puffing but requiring patience before they can blow the house down.
Related: Socceroos off to winning start with victory over Iraq in World Cup qualifier
1.23pm BST
The final whistle blows and it’s three points for Australia.
The perfect start. #AUSvIRQ #GoSocceroos pic.twitter.com/pi0OE0hdMp
1.22pm BST
90 + 3 mins: Australia better hope goal difference doesn’t become a factor later on in qualifying as they’ve thrown away a bagful in the last 15 minutes with sloppy final passes.
1.20pm BST
90 + 1 mins: Kruse isn’t winding down, the substitute relishing the spaces behind the Iraq defence, but a couple of poor decisions mean he failed to play the early ball to Apostolos Giannou, nor did he pick out a gold shirt with his subsequent cross.
1.18pm BST
90 mins: This one’s winding down now, three points in the bag for Australia.
1.16pm BST
88 mins: Maybe we’ve just seen the start of the post-Cahill era. A 2-0 lead with only a few minutes remaining and all three substitutes have been made without the Melbourne City marquee amongst the 14 to feature.
1.14pm BST
85 mins: Elsewhere in Group B, UAE are ten minutes away from beating Japan, in Japan.
Apostolos Giannou replaces Matt Leckie.
1.13pm BST
Almost 20,000 in the stadium, decent chunk of Iraqis as well, good pitch, keeper chants aside good showing by Perth #AUSvIRQ
1.13pm BST
85 mins: Mooy’s seen plenty of the ball tonight. He’s pushed and probed but only rarely shown his star quality. Clearly Australia’s most important player now though and this structure is designed to allow him to shine.
1.11pm BST
82 mins: It’s fair to say that outside of a couple of decent crosses Brad Smith has had a stinker. His control’s been poor, he was beaten a few times on the outside during the first half, and in the second was deservedly booked. Another heavy touch stymies a decent attack and then a cross fails to beat the first defender.
1.09pm BST
80 mins: The dangerous Alaa Abdulzahra comes off the bench, but it’s too little too late for Iraq.
1.07pm BST
78 mins: Another goalscorer substituted with Luongo replaced by Jackson Irvine, Burton Albion’s hotshot striker.
1.06pm BST
76 mins: All Australia now (no, not the AFL awards ceremony on the other channel) with breakaways every time the home side take possession. The final ball continues to prove an issue though with Kruse the culprit on a couple of occasions.
1.03pm BST
73 mins: Mooy’s inswinging corners are causing Iraq all sorts. Another dangerous right footed delivery causes problems that result in Tom Rogic testing Mohammed Hamed’s reflexes.
12.59pm BST
71 mins: The pace of Kruse and Leckie really stretching the Iraq defence now. Rogic finding more time and space too between lines to provide those weighted passes. Much happier times at Perth Rectangular Stadium.
12.57pm BST
68 mins: Yellow card to Brad Smith for a crude challenge on the edge of his own box. Abbas goes for goal from the free kick but it dips harmlessly over Ryan’s bar.
12.56pm BST
Back to Martin Turnbull (20:30) #Neverindoubt - “Regulation win coming up, just as I thought.”
12.55pm BST
66 mins: Juric is immediately substituted for Robbie Kruse. He put in a good shift tonight Juric. Worked hard and featured in all of Australia’s best attacking moments. A little more poise and he could have bagged a hat-trick.
12.54pm BST
Just like with his previous miss, Juric makes up for his mistake immediately, tapping in a Milligan flick on from Mooy’s corner to give Australia a commanding position.
12.53pm BST
65 mins: Juric has another golden opportunity after good work from Mooy. He ends up one on one just inside the box but the keeper was out smartly to smother.
Interesting news elsewhere in the group with the UAE 2-1 up against Japan, in Japan!
12.52pm BST
63 mins: This game has opened right out in the last 10 minutes. Australia are getting behind the Iraq defence at will now, but Iraq’s counterattacks are causing problems for the Socceroos. Postecoglou might want to just tighten this up a little for a few minutes now the lead has ben established.
12.51pm BST
62 mins: Substitution for Iraq with Yaser Kasim replacing Ali Adnan.
12.49pm BST
60 mins: Sighs of relief all round after a frenetic few minutes that could have seen goals at both ends. Credit to Tomi Juric, his miss a few minutes ago was a shocker but he recovered composure to tee up Luongo.
12.47pm BST
Not that it matters as Juric squares for Luongo to tap in at the far post from another good Australian attack.
12.46pm BST
56 mins: Mooy hits the bar! The best passing move of the match for Australia with Jedinak staring a chain that ends with Mooy striking a right footed shot from the edge of the D that cannons into the crossbar. Mooy was stretching and almost sliding as he hit it. Better from the Socceroos.
Iraq go down the other end straight away and Abbas forces a good save from Ryan.
12.44pm BST
55 mins: Australia’s front two of Juric and Leckie are running noticeably wider patterns this half, but both have miscontrolled in promising situations.
12.42pm BST
53 mins: Ali Abbas has been booked, for something, not sure what yet.
The pattern of the game is much the same as the first half, Australia with lots of possession but not really looking threatening, Iraq scrapping to disrupt everything. I’d expect a change of personnel and structure soon.
12.39pm BST
49 mins: Not much to report at the start of the second half until Mooy goes down on the edge of the box under a high ball but the ref’s not interested. Hmmm, on replay that’s in the box, and a definite push. The quintessential “You’ve seen them given”.
12.35pm BST
46 mins: No changes at half time for either side. And we’re off again.
12.32pm BST
Old Mate Martin Turnbull (20:30) has changed his tune... “Right, rowing back from my hope of a regulation win. More than happy with the jammiest goal of all time. Socceroos struggling here.”
I reckon you’re not alone there Martin. Something to cling to, in their last five matches against Iraq, Australia have only scored two first half goals. Most strikes tend to come in the final quarter, so go easy on those nails.
12.24pm BST
While you’re off stirring yourself a Milo, or single malt, or whatever keeps you warm at night, keep thinking about this final stage of qualifying’s theme song.
One idea - if diplomatic tensions with Russia continue to rise, the 2018 World Cup might not even happen in that part of the world. So...
12.20pm BST
Not the first half Australia would have wanted. Iraq stuck to their task from the opening whistle and pressed the Socceroos into a catalogue of mistakes. Leckie’s header against the post was the big moment but Iraq probably should have had a penalty at the other end.
Plenty for Postecoglou to ponder. I’ll see you in a few minutes for the second half.
HALF TIME | It's all square at the break. Who has impressed in the opening 45? #GoSocceroos #AUSvIRQ pic.twitter.com/HEPR65fDT5
12.18pm BST
45 mins: Australia close the half out on attack with a couple of corners in quick succession from Aaron Mooy, but the delivery doesn’t threaten to generate the opener.
12.16pm BST
43 mins: Oooooh. Best chance of the half for Iraq. A lovely flowing move from left to right through midfield ended with a golden opportunity on the edge of the box that Yasin fires wide. This is veering off script for the home side.
12.12pm BST
40 mins: A feature of this half has been the volume of unforced errors by Australia. Short passes going astray, longer ones aimed at players under duress. The ball hasn’t moved with the fluidity we’ve come to expect from a Postecoglou outfit.
12.09pm BST
37 mins: A couple of Iraq’s players have gone down in the past few minutes, and they’re in no hurry to get back up again. The longer this is 0-0 the more frustrating those stoppages are going to get.
12.05pm BST
34 mins: Couple of nice moments for Australia with Luongo’s dancing feet almost creating a chance in the box before Juric is felled just outside the penalty area. This could be a chance for Aaron Mooy... And he does wallop one towards goal but it clips the wall and spins out for a corner.
Jedinak has a chance from that corner but his header from just in front of the onrushing goalkeeper flies over the bar.
12.03pm BST
31 mins: Good example there of Australia’s problems. Mooy fed a pass through the first line of white to Rogic, who turns, faces Iraq’s goal, and has nobody in space in front of him or outside him. The inevitable hopeful ball forward is blocked. More width and patience required in the final third.
12.01pm BST
29 mins: Off the post! Smith from villain to hero with a gorgeous left footed cross that’s headed majestically by Leckie from near the penalty spot, but it loops against the post and across the face of goal to safety.
11.59am BST
26 mins: Hmmmm, long ball from Iraq escapes the headed contest and skips towards the onrushing Ali Husni. It takes a desperate sliding tackle from Milligan to deny a one on one. A succession of corners follow that Australia aren’t too convincing in clearing.
Shortly after that Iraq are unlucky not to be awarded a penalty after Brad Smith needlessly pulled back his opponent in the box. It was a stonewall spot kick and coach killer.
11.55am BST
24 mins: As expected, and hoped for, Mooy is Australia’s metronome. He’s collecting the ball from his defenders, playing those cute round the corner passes further forward, like Paul Scholes in a Voldemort mask. Nothing coming of it so far, largely due to Iraq working so hard to man up around the ground.
Also, Australia are incredibly narrow, as you might expect from a side lacking wingers.
11.53am BST
21 mins: A rare counterattack for Iraq ends with the ball in Mat Ryan’s goal, but the whistle had long blown for a goal kick. A warning for Australia that there’s pace down the visiting flanks.
11.51am BST
Back to the celebratory song, JM in Canberra is not happy with Back in the USSR. “Nooooo, not the bloody Beatles. And worse, wc hasn’t been, so can’t go ‘back’ to USSR. Kate Bush, perhaps?”
I’m not overly familiar with the Bush oeuvre. Are we talking about Babooshka?
11.50am BST
17 mins: Another half attack from Australia who are finding their grove a little more in the last few minutes, but it’s rushed and edgy stuff. This might be a game of patience for the opening hour or so and taking advantage of Iraq’s inevitable fatigue in the closing stages.
11.47am BST
14 mins: Iraq’s midfield and forward lines are defending aggressively high up the field, denying Australia space in front of Mooy and Jedinak. Postecoglou will have to think his way through this little problem.
When that wall is pierced there’s room behind but attacks so far have been brief and wayward.
11.45am BST
One for Perth Glory devotees.
The "You fat bastard" chant has made an appearance already, never give us a game again. #GoSocceroos #AUSvIRQ
11.43am BST
11 mins: Second decent chance of the night for Mass Luongo. He finds space on the edge of the box but his shot leaning back drifted wide of the upright. Good to see Brad Smith getting forward down the left to fashion that opportunity.
11.42am BST
9 mins: The atmosphere in Perth has gone flatter than an English pint in a heatwave. A series of stoppages has robbed the game of its early impetus, a sense of disappointment reinforced by the softest of yellow cards handed to Aaron Mooy for breathing a little too heavily on his midfield opponent.
11.39am BST
6 mins: Mark Milligan was one of the more unlikely names in the starting XI but you can see why he’s selected with Australia’s defence resting almost continuously on the halfway line.
Brad Smith has endured a shaky start, losing his touch on a few occasions but conceding nothing of note.
11.35am BST
3 mins: Australia have started superbly. After that early burst they’ve controlled possession well in defence and midfield and set their stall out to probe the Lions of Mesopotamia into submission.
11.33am BST
Underway in Perth and it takes seconds for Tomi Juric to fire the first shot on goal, the follow up headed tamely goalwards by Massimo Luongo. Wooshka! What a start from the home team.
11.31am BST
Anthems over and done with (nobody staged a sit down protest) and we’re almost ready for kick off.
11.30am BST
Martin Turnbull’s confident, emailing in: “A regulation two or three goal win would be great. Although wonderful the late one-nil win a few years ago was stressful in the extreme.”
That one-nil win of course that confirmed Australia’s place in Rio and sparked mass renditions of Peter Allen’s I Go To Rio. What will this campaign’s celebratory anthem be? Back in the USSR? Suggestions welcome.
11.26am BST
Some prematch basics for you.
The weather in Perth is a cool 13 degrees. There’s no wind or rain to speak of. The pitch looks like a carpet.
11.16am BST
What are you most looking forward to tonight? My answer’s easy, I have a huge man crush on Aaron Mooy. He was the best player in the A-League last year (regardless of the trophies Diego Castro was awarded) and he was close to the best the year before. An offseason move to the UK looks to be paying off with a loan stint at Huddersfield Town in England’s second tier starting promisingly.
Mooy is the player Australia will want on the ball as often as possible, setting the tempo, buzzing around the pitch picking up return balls, waiting for the moment to play the killer pass or feed the pace of Leckie.
11.11am BST
Any nervous Socceroos supporters out there looking for reassurance, try this on for size. In their last 15 home World Cup qualifiers, Australia have won 13 and drawn twice.
11.10am BST
Don’t forget you can keep me company, and have your voice heard on here if you’re so inclined. Tweet me @JPHowcroft or email me at jonathan.howcroft.freelance@guardian.co.uk.
11.08am BST
With kick off still 20 minutes away, there’s plenty of time to check out Paul Connolly’s story on Ali Abbas from earlier in the year.
Related: Friday Focus: Ali Abbas out to prove doubters wrong in Sydney derby
11.06am BST
I’ll drop in a graphic as soon as one comes to hand but most of the names John Duerden told us to look out for have been selected. Radhi Shenaishil has gone for a 4-4-2 featuring left back Dhurgham Ismael, Ali Adnan aka “Asia’s Gareth Bale”, and winger Ali Husni. A-League followers will also be familiar with Ali Abbas who gets a start as well.
10.46am BST
Ange Postecoglou made sure his final training session with the Socceroos was behind closed doors, and here’s why. It’s an attacking line-up with a couple of unexpected faces setting up in a 4-1-3-2 formation.
The game plan will revolve around the creative midfield trio of Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic and Massimo Luongo. Tomi Juric will provide the focus up front with plenty of responsibility on Brad Smith and Milos Degenek to provide width. Mark Milligan starts alongside Trent Sainsbury in the heart of defence.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is how we begin the road to Russia tonight. #AUSvIRQ pic.twitter.com/38qJ7JVdUt
10.36am BST
Evening all. As Alvin and the Chipmunks sang, it’s been a while but we’re back in style. Well, maybe not in style, but back nonetheless, for Australia’s first match in the final group phase for qualification to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
We’re at the romantically named Perth Rectangular Stadium (aka the equally evocative nib Stadium) for Australia vs Iraq. Kick off is 8.30pm Eastern, and it’s not on free to air TV, so put the kids to bed, and settle in for a relaxing night of questioning FFA’s strategic planning.
3.40am BST
Jonathan will be here shortly so while you’re waiting why not have a quick read of John Duerden’s World Cup qualifying final phase preview, including a few words on the Socceroos’ opponents tonight, Iraq, “that most mercurial of Middle Eastern teams”.
Read the full article here.
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