Milligan fears Syria ‘fire’

Australian skipper says opponents will be looking for revenge

SOCCEROOS captain Mark Milligan expects fire and intensity from a tough-to-breakdown Syria, in an Asian Cup battle between two teams with everything to play for.

Australia sit second in Group B and need at least a point against a highly motivated Syria out for revenge against the country that knocked them out of World Cup reckoning and themselves requiring a win to have any chance of progressing to this tournament’s knockout phase. It means tomorrow’s decisive clash in Al Ain will almost certainly start in more open fashion than the Socceroos’ first two group games, when Jordan and Palestine put men behind the ball and played on the counter.

“One thing we do know is they will try and have a go at us,” Milligan said.

“They’re going to play with a lot of fire and intensity too. We played them not too long ago. They’re not an easy nut to crack.

“While there will be aspects that are similar (to Palestine) it will be a different match for us. There will be different challenges.

“We will have a look at them but again the main focus needs to be where we can break them, us executing that well.”

The Socceroos cannot afford to lose this one, especially given Jordan have already qualified as group winners and could rest some legs against last-placed Palestine, who are still in the running.

And there’s less predictability in a Syria side whose coach Bernd Stange was sacked moments after Thursday’s 2-0 loss to Jordan.

Milligan wasn’t sure what impact the upheaval would have. “There normally is (a response), although in a tournament situation I don’t know – is it more helpful or more disruptive?” he said.

“The core of the team has been the same for a while, we can get a general idea of what to expect.”

Milligan knows Syria well – in November 2017 the minnows came close to knocking Ange Postecoglou’s team out of World Cup qualifying in the second leg of a playoff at ANZ Stadium, when Omar AlSomah’s last-minute free-kick cannoned off the outside of the post.

“It’s another high-pressure match situation,” he said.

“I think a one-off game, you can’t leave anything in the tank. You have to go out and show all your cards.”

Selection changes and key injuries mean this Socceroos contingent looks markedly different to then.

But it’s also one that, having learnt the lessons of their opening loss to Jordan, picked apart Palestine with relative ease.

A big part of that was the leadership of Milligan, who ran his team from the base of midfield and whose range of passing prompted a more direct style of play.

The 33-year-old might well be shifted to central defence to cater for the suspension of Trent Sainsbury.