Asian Cup Final, Australia vs Japan, Sat 29 Jan 18:00

Burnwinter

I think it's screening at 22:30 Perth time on FOX 1 - so I assume early morning EDST.

Should be a good match as there's a healthy rivalry between the two sides, Japan's superior technique, work rate and team ethic matched by Australia's intensity, tight defending and, for want of a better word, thuggishness.

Australia walked over the Uzbeks 6-0 to reach the final in a worryingly lop-sided encounter, meanwhile Japan put in a polished performance and easily deserved to go through ahead of Korea despite the match going to penalties.

Kewell has somehow produced some decent, injury free form in this tournament, sadly Klaus' favourite Kagawa is out injured, possibly for the season. Arsenal "near miss" Mark Schwarzer is playing very, very well for us. Been pleased with the Australian results so far, under Holger Osieck we are a different proposition than we were with Pim Verbeek setting us out so timidly.

Would love to see Australia win this as the sport needs a lift over here after a drab World Cup campaign, and some of our stars who won't be around for 2014 would also get a good send off.

Prediction: Australia 2-0 Japan inside 90 minutes

est

The loss of Kagawa is a real blow to the Japanese.

Tony Montana

Will Cahill be back for our game with Everton on Tuesday? I hope not.

Klaus

est wrote:
The loss of Kagawa is a real blow to the Japanese.

It's going to be even worse for Dortmund. Fucking international tournaments. I hate them so much. I don't think I've enjoyed watching any other player this season as much as Kagawa. I feel really bad for him. It's always the gifted, brilliant ones that get injured too. So sick of it.

Clrnc

I fancy Japan to win.

Biggus

Klaus wrote:
It's always the gifted, brilliant ones that get injured too. So sick of it.

Thats because football is first and foremost an athletic contest, where skill is just an adjunct.

est

Or because the gifted, brilliant ones are the ones having more of the ball and consequently getting tackled/fouled/hurt more.

Klaus

Exactly.

Timbob

I'm really looking forward to this.....

Burnwinter

Think it's more a case of it always being the brilliant, gifted ones that you notice getting injured. Like amazing coincidences.

kamikaze

really sucks about kagawa. heard it was a metatarsal, though, and those can happen anytime.

Biggus

est wrote:
Or because the gifted, brilliant ones are the ones having more of the ball and consequently getting tackled/fouled/hurt more.

Well thats what you get for making yourself a sitting duck target.
Move the ball forward quickly don't give hospital balls its not la Liga.

Anyway back on topic, come on the Aussies kick their arses!
Burnsy & I haven't forgotten all the abuse we got during the ill fated world cup campaign.

Burnwinter

Australian football being dirty is a cliché. Cloggers don't win matches 6-0.

If anyone is looking for a good stream the #ozstreams channel on justin.tv is perfect.

Biggus

How can you leave a player free with so much time and space?????
Good finish though.🙁

Burnwinter

Yeah. The marking on Lee was unbelievably poor - but as you say the finish was Zidane-esque.

Ah well. Good match, I thought we had the better of it for a long stretch, probably the first 70 minutes or so, and had slightly better chances overall. Guess Kewell never will be the hero.

Clrnc

So theres that last chance for Kewell and co to be a champion in this decade gone.

Well done Japan, have to say that finish was deserving of a cup final victory. Okazaki should have wrapped it up long ago though

Burnwinter

There were plenty of chances to wrap it up for Australia as well. McKay's shot in the first five minutes just needed to be on target.

It was a pretty good showing for Australian football - we were the better organised side and less reliant on individual talents, tactically we were more varied switching between lofted deliveries to Cahill and some genuinely decent interplay between the likes of Kewell, McKay and Holman.

A couple of players had off nights, especially Holman who just couldn't execute any difficult skills.

Clrnc

True that, just thought Australia man by man technical skills still wasn't up to Japan's level though.

Burnwinter

Our players aren't as technically gifted, but tactically and in terms of "team intelligence" I thought we were ahead. We made some nice moves look simple.

That said, Japan have some great little players whereas we lack even one who can finish :o