Socceroos beaten but should still believe

Self-belief can’t make a team better than it is.

But self-belief, allied to a fierce commitment, discipline and and a huge workrate can ensure that the team in question is more than the sum of its parts.

Character, courage and conviction can help bridge the talent gap most, if not all the way. But if luck deserts you no end of hard work and commitment will turn things your way.

And that’s just what the Socceroos didn’t have in their World Cup opening 2-1 loss against the highly regarded French in Kazan.

Australian came within 10 minutes of a famous draw at the World Cup, before the unluckiest of goals gave France the win.

Thus it was that Australia, who, for more than 80 minutes, had looked likely to get something out of this game, were undone in the last few minutes when Paul Pogba’s late winner meant that it was Les Bleus who emerged from this game with their tails up and three points in the bank.

There was enough in this performance, however, to suggest that this might be a setback rather than the end of this World Cup adventure. If they play in this manner against Denmark and Peru then Australia will give themselves every chance of getting out of the group.

Having a leader with the nerves of Mile Jedinak – a man whom most pundits did not even expect to play in the World Cup opener against the might of the France – is also an advantage.

The Socceroos, physical, combative, athletic and powerful, showed that they also possessed great mental strength, lifting themselves off the floor after going behind to a penalty awarded in controversial circumstances by the VAR.

Until Pogba’s late strike, this was in the balance. It was a good, if unlucky, start for Australia. But they are still in there and pitching.