Graham Arnold’s Socceroos left Abu Dhabi with high morale after a 2-0 win over Bahrain in their final match before the 2023 Asian Cup kicks off in Qatar.
With a composed 2-0 victory over Bahrain, our footballers concluded their preparations for the 2023 Asian Cup with a clean sheet and a better understanding of what to expect at the start of the campaign in Qatar.
With goals either side of half-time, Craig Goodwin curled a sharp low cross into the box to force his own goal, and just before the hour mark Mitch Duke nodded the ball over the plate and smashed it home.
Bahrain, ranked 12th in the Asian Confederation, defended deep and prevented chances from being created in the final third, providing a suitable challenge for their footballers. Against a stronger, taller and more physical opponent, Arnold’s men were patient and accurately penetrated the compact and low defensive line.
Arnold’s men were controlled in possession and restricted Bahrain from breaking through our defence. While our forwards made a huge contribution to creating chances, at the other end of the pitch Joe Gauci had little to do, making one diving save in the moment, but otherwise They benefited from a studied backline that recorded four consecutive clean sheets. In all competitions.
Arnold looks back on his last match before the Asian Cup
Graham Arnold reflected on his team’s performance, calling it a perfect match to conclude the Socceroos’ Asia Cup preparations.
“I think it’s the best match for us to have before the Asia Cup,” Arnold said. “You know, when we play against these types of countries, they sit back and wait. Most of the countries we played against in the last 12 months haven’t really done that.
“You know, I think they’re a strong country that’s getting stronger and stronger. Like a lot of Middle Eastern countries, physically they were a lot bigger than we expected.”
Despite Bahrain’s strong defense at Baniyas Stadium, Arnold was satisfied with his team’s performance.
“You know, it’s very difficult to train a player against that type of opponent until you try it.
“We got better and better as the game went on, and we were able to not only break down our opponents, but also keep them from getting counter-attacks, which they like to do.
“At the end of the day, I thought they were going to get one shot in the 90 minutes. It was good to get away with a clean sheet.
“Probably seven or eight of them are good players, the players I was there with, it’s probably the second time they’re playing outside Qatar, it’s completely different in the Middle East and on the field, everything is different. “different.
“This is a great learning experience for us before we go to Doha.
“So, like I said, this match was probably the perfect match going into this Asian Cup. No doubt quite a few teams will be playing like this. [Bahrain] In the same way. “
Depth of player base for the Asian Cup
With just a week left until the 2023 Asia Cup campaign kicks off at Rawdat Al Jahaniyah, Arnold spoke about the depth of the squad ahead of the tournament.
“Well, you know this, the objective of what I’ve been trying to do for the last four years is to win games and at the same time create depth.
“If you look at the six players I bought four years ago, there probably wasn’t a player with this depth.
“You know, it’s a headache. We’re going to have trouble with our starting lineup for the next few weeks. It’s great to have that depth, but like I said, it’s going to be a headache for the next few weeks. You will be troubled by it.”
Joe Gauci kept his first clean sheet in only his second appearance for the Socceroos, effectively filling in for captain Matthew Ryan, who is recovering from a fractured cheekbone.
“It was good to have Joe Gauci on the field and give him a chance,” Arnold said.
“Obviously we have to add depth in the goalkeeping department as well. I thought he did very well.
Graham Arnold made the most of his team’s depth, making six changes before his team left the field with a 2-0 win.
“The players who didn’t play ran a lot at the end of the game. And the players who were sent off, none of them were sent off with an injury. They were only taken off to make substitutions or changes during the game. No.”
Notable players who played well in the match against Bahrain
Bolton Wanderers right-back Gethin Jones will be capped at number 639, making a definite change on his debut for the Socceroos. During his 80-minute cameo, Jones maintained an 89% passing accuracy while recording four clearances, three interceptions, three recoveries and won 100% of his tackles and aerial duels.
Stand-in skipper Jackson Irvine put in a strong performance at the heart of the action with his MOTM performance. With a passing rate of 82%, nine key passes into the final third, one interception and three successful tackles, Irvine was the engine of the midfield.
Mitchell Duke sealed the result last night with his 12th goal for the Socceroos, driving into the box to bring home the second goal. Meanwhile, Craig Goodwin continued his onslaught on the left side, forcing an early own goal and then giving Duke a crucial assist.
Harry Souter and Cameron Burgess solidified the center of the park and once again our defensive line was impenetrable. Soutard completed over 100 accurate passes in 90 minutes, while Burgess put in important passes and long balls into the final third.
“On Monday, we will fly to Doha and then we will leave and get ready.” [for the Asian Cup]” Arnold said.
Our footballers will begin their 2023 Asian Cup campaign against India next Saturday night at the new Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Qatar’s Rawdat Al Jahaniya area.
Match details
bahrain 0
Subway Socceroos 2 (Benady OG 35 minutes, Duke 61 minutes)
Saturday, January 6, 2024
Baniyas Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Subway Soccer AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023TM Match Card (Group B)
Australia v India
Saturday, January 13, 2024
Al Rayyan’s Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
kick off: 2:30pm local time (10:30pm AEDT)
broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Syria v Australia
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha
kick off: 2:30pm local time (10:30pm AEDT)
broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Australia v Uzbekistan
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Al Janob Stadium, Doha
kick off: 2:30pm local time (10:30pm AEDT)
broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
All AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 matches will be broadcast live on Paramount+
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