Australia’s men were always going to lose a game in the Tony Popovic era, one supposes. How does that little idiom go again? Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened?
After last week’s win over Canada took him one clear of Joe Vlasits’ start in the 1960s, only Terry Venables had put together a longer undefeated start to life as Socceroos boss than the one Popovic took into Tuesday’s fixture against the USA – the 52-year-old was unbeaten in the eleven games of his year-long tenure, with seven straight wins. But thanks to two goals from American striker Haji Wright, it was in the mile-high surrounds of Denver where this run ended.
In the cold light of day, one couldn’t claim that it was an injustice, either. The Socceroos certainly had their moments and even took the lead through Jordy Bos after just 19 minutes. But the USA produced plenty of their own chances, too; Cristian Roldan flashing an effort just wide at the end of the first half, and Diego Luna, who replaced an injured Christian Pulisic in the first half, is definitely still wondering how he didn’t beat Maty Ryan from point-blank range and make it 3-1 in the 79th minute.
And while Australia under Popovic has made an art form of being clinical with limited opportunities, the shoe was on the other foot on Tuesday. Two lapses from the Socceroo defence, losing track of Wright’s run in the 33rd minute and switching off for just a moment after giving away a free kick in the 51st, were all Roldan needed to set the Coventry City striker up to net his brace – his assists somewhat making amends for him being sent arse over tea kettle by Bos before the opener.
Conversely, when Bos burst down the left and squared the ball to a wide-open Connor Metcalfe just after half-time, the St Pauli attacker could only send his effort into a waiting American defender, before Aiden O’Neill proved unable to convert the follow-up. When Nestory Irankunda stormed past Miles Robinson and Aidan Morris before opening up an angle to shoot past Chris Richards in the 89th minute, keeper Matt Freese proved up to the task of denying him.
Thus, after a series of games in which the likes of Canada, New Zealand, and Japan felt they did enough to win, only to lose, the Socceroos fell in a game in which they could have grabbed something but, instead, fell short. Live by outperforming xG, die by outperforming xG.
Of course, it’s to Popovic and the Socceroos’ credit that this defeat can even be approached somewhat glibly – that it came in a friendly, against an opponent designed to provide a gauge of progress building towards the World Cup, and with direct qualification for that tournament already secured. The alternative scenario could have seen the Australians competing in the fourth phase of Asian qualification, trying to navigate the ridiculously stacked deck that the AFC constructed in favour of Qatar and Saudi Arabia for the fourth round. And in its own way, defeat offers an opportunity for introspection in a way that wins sometimes don’t. “From all types of results … there’s always things you can learn from,” skipper Maty Ryan said post-game.
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Bos, for instance, is becoming a force before our eyes at 22; a ball of lungs, muscle, purpose, and intent that never stops. Irankunda, 19, and Mo Touré, 21, while still needing to build the calluses that come with week-in-and-week-out senior football, look like they belong at an international level. Alessandro Circati is becoming a Rolls-Royce of a defender and already an international captain at 22. Metcalfe is quietly becoming a key cog in the attack, while Jacob Italiano played his first two internationals and didn’t really put a foot wrong. Paul Izzo has stepped up to provide Ryan with important competition heading into next year. These are all good things to take from a window.
Yes, there are things to implement and improve on. Losing after taking the lead will smart Popovic, a former defender, and the defensive lulls that enabled the Americans’ goals will be quickly clipped, analysed, and, you’d think, rectified. The attack showed more on Tuesday than it did against Canada, but it remains a work in progress, needing to show greater adaptability, especially when dealing with an opposition press, and figure out its best midfield combination when the injured Jackson Irvine doesn’t play and figure out what to do when he does. The Socceroos were never going to be invincible heading into the World Cup. But the outline of what this team wants to become next June is becoming clearer.
