“We had been up 1-0,” Arnold mentioned. “We had probabilities [for] 2-0, 3-0. That will get all the way down to the person to place the ball at the back of the web. For those who don’t take these probabilities, you get punished – and that’s precisely what occurred.”
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One feels particularly for Lewis Miller, who was energetic off the bench however ended up conceding the penalty and the free-kick which led to each targets.
“For him it’s only a studying curve,” Goodwin mentioned. “For anybody – it’s not simply him, anybody in that place. Freely giving the penalty, it’s making an attempt to maintain your head. He was unfortunate to present away that penalty as a result of it was one I assumed may have gone the opposite manner.
“We had been one minute away from going via. We had probabilities to place the sport away within the second half a couple of occasions. We should always have scored the second purpose.
“We all know Korea are an excellent aspect, however there’s nothing however disappointment within the second … we gave them some alternatives from set items we didn’t must.”
The irony was that Australia misplaced this match admirably, having received and drawn their earlier fixtures regardless of an absence of attacking creativity. Within the first half, South Korea had 70 per cent possession but completed the opening stanza with out a single shot on purpose, whereas the Socceroos dared their star-studded opponents to open up after which hit them on transition.
South Korea’s Hwang Hee-chan fires dwelling the penalty.Credit score: AP
South Korea awoke virtually as quickly because the second half started, when Keanu Baccus was crushed one on one and an under-pressure Lee Kang-in despatched his aspect’s first shot straight into the grateful arms of Ryan. Minutes later, the steely resolve of Aziz Behich was all that stood between Seol Younger-woo’s cross and the dangerously hovering Cho Gue-sung purpose.
Steely resolve is an effective manner of describing Australia’s defence, the muse of this continental marketing campaign and of this second half, throughout which they repelled persistent strain on the overlap in transition and inside their very own third. Harry Souttar was a human wall on a number of events, regardless of being booked considerably harshly for catching Cho Gue-sung together with his arm as he leapt for a header. Ryan, with out his protecting face masks for the primary time, was fast off his line when required at one level stretched his gloves above the crossbar to expertly deal with a fizzing shot from Seol.
The Socceroos may – ought to – have doubled their lead not lengthy earlier than the hour when a triple likelihood went begging. Goodwin picked out an unmarked Boyle on the far publish and the latter cracked a header straight at Jo Hyeon-woo who, in his scramble to repel it, pinged the ball straight again on the winger. Boyle took a second stab which was additionally blocked earlier than Duke, at a tough peak however with an open purpose beckoning, skied his shot.
They’d one other courtesy of Miller, a substitute on a mission and a counter-attacking run which completed with a pinpoint cross and Duke in a full dive as he tried in useless to manage his goalmouth header.
In extra-time, Ryan was excellent, making a important save to disclaim Son as South Korea bore down on purpose and continued to suffocate the Socceroos, who had been so shut after which so very far. As soon as O’Neill’s preliminary yellow card was upgraded to a straight crimson following a VAR referral, Australia lastly misplaced their legs.
“Individually, their gamers play in prime leagues round Europe with a really quick tempo, and so they can maintain that up,” Arnold mentioned. “They play a variety of soccer – whether or not it’s Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur or Wolverhampton Wanderers – towards top-level gamers. That’s why I believe they will run the legs off groups, after which they punish on the finish.”
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