Heroics fail to satisfy
FOOTBALL: Bert van Marwijk has called it “the last part of the puzzle”, and it’s been missing from this particular jigsaw for quite some time.
“It’s unbelievable and a pity we didn’t score more. We must make the difference by scoring one more goal than our opponents,” the Dutchman said, knowing at least one goal – and ideally more – will be needed against Peru on Tuesday.
The track record isn’t auspicious. In the past 12 months Australia has scored 19 goals in 13 games, an average of less than one and a half per game.
And only nine of those goals have come from open play.
Set pieces are a hugely valuable part of a team’s armoury, but the ability to fashion goals organically has been sorely lacking for some time.
In the 1-1 draw against Denmark, Australia had 14 attempts on goal, five on target, but only one of those went in. That’s the major thing to fix before Tuesday.
It won’t be for want of trying. The Socceroos, and those who follow them, are sick of heroic failures and honourable losses. Plaudits may flow, but the reality is that Australia’s failure to convert means it is pushing a rock uphill to make the second round.
Last time around, in Brazil four years ago, Ange Postecoglou’s side was widely praised for its performances, especially against Holland, but went home with nothing.
To prevent a repeat, Postecoglou went down the road of his tactical rethink, fashioning a side he was convinced could make headway at the World Cup.
But he didn’t stick around long enough to find out, and van Marwijk’s more austere blueprint has so far produced acclaim but still only one point from two games.
In the end these players are desperate to achieve their own history, 12 years after the 2006 generation became the first Socceroos to make it out of the group.
“Ultimately that’s what we set out to achieve, that’s why we play the game as footballers,” goalkeeper Mat Ryan said.
“We sacrifice everything to be the most successful we can be, and the result is the most influential part of judging that success.
“We’ve been there or thereabouts so many times and we want to get over that final hurdle of a good performance resulting in a win.”
It’s clearly something they are aware of, with Ryan inadvertently echoing his coach.
“I feel like we’ve grown so much as a squad over the past few months, and it feels like we’re so close to gaining that result to reward our performances,” he said. “It’s the final piece of the puzzle.”