Aussies regain scoring swagger
TOUGH ON RACISM
FORTUNES are finally starting to look up for the Socceroos’ strikeforce.
While Chinese Taipei threw up concerning questions about defensive structure and game management, there’s one thing of which Graham Arnold can be confident — Australia’s infamous aversion to goals appears to have been remedied.
Struggling to score from open play has become synonymous with the men’s national team in recent times.
Rewind 16 months to the World Cup in Russia where the Socceroos managed a total of two goals, both from the penalty spot, to finish bottom of their group with a solitary point.
A lack of emerging and inform strikers had the country in a collective sweat about where the next Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell or Tim Cahill would come from.
Skip forward to Tuesday night in Kaohsiung, the scene of the Socceroos’ 7-1 walkover.
World No.129 Chinese Taipei fielded an obliging defence, but Adam Taggart and Jamie Maclaren — never mind a brace from both Jackson Irvine and Harry Souttar — offered reassurance the final-third impotence can be consigned to the past.
Taggart’s double was fitting reward for resilience and hard work following a horrid run with injury.
Having slowly but surely restored his fitness and reputation with Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar, the 26-year-old is enjoying a purple patch with Suwon Bluewings prolific enough to make him the K-League’s equal top-scorer and in June leave Arnold with little choice but to recall him after nearly five years in the FIFA president Gianni Infantino has demanded “new, stronger and more effective ways to eradicate racism in football” and has called for worldwide life bans for those found guilty of racist behaviour.
His comments follow the abuse suffered by England players during their Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria. UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria and England following Monday’s match in Sofia, which was stopped twice as Bulgarian fans made Nazi salutes and directed monkey noises at black England players.
Charges against the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) include the racist behaviour, throwing of objects and disruption of a national anthem by supporters.
Infantino said in a statement: “I call on all football governing bodies to join us and think together of new, stronger and more effective ways to eradicate racism in football.
“As a starting point, I suggest that all competition organisers enact regulations which envisage life bans from stadiums for those who are found guilty of racist behaviour at a football match.” international wilderness. Likewise, Maclaren’s hat-trick against Nepal last week, followed by another goal off the bench against Chinese Taipei, is proof the Melbourne City man can indeed become the green-and-gold marksman plenty had predicted.
Add the eventual returns from injury of Martin Boyle and Daniel Arzani, and the Socceroos’ attacking fortunes will have fattened up markedly by the time the next World Cup qualifying phase tosses up far more testy Asian opposition later next year.