YOUNG GUNS SPURRED ON BY OLYMPICS
IT WAS the ultimate hothouse – Australia’s young football talent learning fast on the job as they tackled some of the world’s best up-and-coming stars.
Lachlan Wales and Marco Tilio shocked the world with the goals that enabled the Olyroos to beat Argentina in July, creating a huge upset at the Tokyo Olympics with Australia’s first win since 2004.
But despite a valiant subsequent display against Spain, the Australian side fell short of qualifying from their group.
Now Tilio and Wales are determined to carry over the experience of what they dub “a complete eyeopener” into their league form, on opposite sides on Saturday night when Melbourne City host Western United.
“The Olympics gave me that experience, to see players like that up close, and see how sharp they are and how they make it look pretty easy,” Wales said.
“The (Spanish) press said (Barcelona star) Pedro looked tired because he played 70 games in the year, but he didn’t look tired to me, he was everywhere picking up the ball.
“Playing the likes of Pedro and that whole Spain team, it was a complete eye-opener how good they were.
“Argentina probably had just as good as players individually.
“But to see how Spain did it as a team and how much more difficult they were to play against was a big thing.”
“It’s something that I’ve got into in the last few months, studying the game more and trying to learn from individual players or analysts of the game.
“For me as a winger, the last 20 meters is vital (in using the ball).
“Those players are in that situation at least five times every game for 70 games, so their decision making is going to get better.
“That makes me want to play as many games as possible.”
Wales’s goal came
early in the piece against Argentina, sweeping in at the far post to finish a fine team move, before Tilio came off the bench to shock Argentina with a swerving shot from distance and score his side’s second – with his first touch.
“It was partly instinct, but we’d done some video analysis on the Argentine keeper and how he struggled a bit in the air, so I tried to lift it as I hit it, and it came off,” Tilio said.
“That was a huge moment for me, obviously, but as a team I think we pushed ourselves to our limit in the whole campaign.
“Playing against that kind of opposition, you become aware of so many little things that can help your own game – their movement in particular (and) how they work for each other.”