WALL OF CHINA
THE Socceroos have recorded a ninth successive win on the road to next year’s World Cup with a 3-0 victory against China in Doha.
Picking up from where they left off in the previous round of AFC World Cup qualifiers, the Socceroos – captained by fit-again goalkeeper Mat Ryan – were rarely troubled in a “home” match being played in the capital city of Qatar due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
China started the better but once the Australians kicked into gear it was one-way traffic, with goals to Awer Mabil, Martin Boyle and substitute Mitch Duke securing the three points in a match the Socceroos could have won by double the final score, such was their dominance. The Graham Arnold-coached team broke the game open with two goals in the space of two first-half minutes.
The first goal came in the 24th minute from Denmark-based forward Mabil, who just seconds earlier had been foiled by China goalkeeper Yan Junling.
Mabil’s fellow attacker Adam Taggart was first to the loose ball from Yan’s save and delivered a dangerous cross that Yan could only get his fingertips to.
Mabil was first to the cross, getting the better of defender Jiang Guangtai to score his fifth goal in 18 Socceroos appearances.
The Socceroos then went for the jugular, with Boyle doubling Australia’s lead in the 26th minute.
Making the most of a clever pass from returning Celtic playmaker Tom
Socceroos substitute Mitch Duke (left) celebrates his goal with Aaron Mooy in the 3-0 victory against China in a World Cup qualifier in Doha. Picture: AFP
Rogic, Hibernian winger Boyle unleashed from distance to score for the fourth time in just eight Socceroos appearances.
Duke sealed the win with one of his first touches of the ball in the 70th minute, pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty area after Mabil had forced a save out of Yan.
Also among the second-half substitutes was star midfielder Aaron Mooy who, like Rogic, made his first appearance for Australia since November 2019.
Hull City’s Callum Elder also came on for a second-half cameo to make his Socceroos debut.
Earlier, Australia’s Group B rivals Japan suffered a shock 1-0 home loss to Oman.
“I’m very proud of the performance and there’s only a lot more improvement left,” Arnold said. “I thought we were fantastic.” The Socceroos return to action on Tuesday night in Hanoi when they meet Vietnam, who were beaten 3-1 by Saudi Arabia.
ENGLAND eased past Hungary in Budapest on Friday with a secondhalf, four-goal barrage that propels Gareth Southgate’s men towards qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Raheem Sterling broke the deadlock with a clipped shot 10 minutes into the second period before a pair of headers by Harry Kane and Harry Maguire and a late Declan Rice strike sealed a 4-0 win.
PATRICK Cantlay’s threeunder-par 67 kept him two strokes clear of hard-charging world No.1 Jon Rahm on Friday in the first round of the US PGA Tour Championship.
Cantlay had a two-stroke lead at 10-under par for the season finale after topping the tour’s playoff standings thanks to his playoff win against Bryson DeChambeau in the BMW Championship on Monday.
His four birdies on the day included a chip-in at the third and a two-putt birdie from 16m on the fringe at the parfive 18th at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.
At 13-under, he was two clear of Spain’s Rahm, who holed out from the fairway for birdie at the first on the way to a five-under-par 65 that put him at 11-under.