A 1-0 defeat at the hands of Qatar has left the stunned Socceroos reeling and searching for answers ahead of January’s Asian Cup on home soil.
Following last week’s dismal 0-0 draw with the UAE, the Socceroos slumped further against the 96th-ranked Qatar, conceding a 61st minute goal to Khalfan Ibrahim in Australia’s 500th international match.
Coach Ange Postecoglou made a number of untested lineup changes, but even with Tim Cahill playing the majority of the match after shunning his MLS side in favour of the national team, the Australian attack looked far from convincing and provided few realistic opportunities to score.
“Personally I think a big improvement (is needed),” veteran Mark Bresciano said.
“Something’s not right (and) we’ve got to fix it because it (the Asian Cup) is getting close.
“If we’re going to have any chance of winning it, games like tonight we shouldn’t be losing.”
The Socceroos fielded a far different side from the one that took on the UAE on Friday night and featured eight new faces including starts for defenders Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Aziz Behich, Mitch Langerak in goals and a go in the midfield for James Troisi.
Postecoglou offered to take some of the blame for the loss, claiming his risky rotations will pay dividends come January.
“I’m making these decisions and I’m making them for a reason and that’s probably costing us in terms of performance and in terms of fluency,” he said.
“But it is what is is and I take responsibility for the outcomes because I’m making these decisions.
“In my mind we’re still making progress.
“We’re still giving some really good experience to some of the players who haven’t had that sort of top-level intensity before.”
Australia will face Japan in a final friendly in November before kicking off its Asian Cup campaign against Kuwait in Melbourne on January 9.
Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images
