The Socceroos are decided to beat Uzbekistan, high their Asian Cup group and head into the knockouts in finest place as different high groups stumble round them.
With their place within the spherical of 16 sealed, Graham Arnold’s prices can safe high spot in group B with a win or attract Tuesday evening’s match (10.30pm AEDT) at Al Janoub Stadium,
Topping the group is a large incentive, not solely as a result of it softens the round-of-16 opponent, however as a result of it could seemingly imply ending up on the alternative aspect of the draw to Japan.
The Blue Samurai suffered a shock loss to Iraq and at the moment are prone to end second within the group, which might flick them throughout the draw.
In the meantime, South Korea may solely salvage a draw towards Jordan in one other shock end result that underlined the significance of the Socceroos snaring two early, albeit scratchy, wins.
“You’ll be able to see simply how good the competitors is with these types of outcomes, with Japan and South Korea as nicely,” midfielder Aiden O’Neill mentioned.
“So it is a large alternative for us as a staff.”
Arnold insisted the shock outcomes solely emphasised the necessity for Australia to maintain grinding out wins.
“Japan received beat – that reveals you the way robust this competitors is,” he mentioned.
“Japan dropping to Iraq and South Korea drawing towards Jordan reveals you right here within the Center East that these nations are doing nicely.
“So it is as much as us to get on the market and our mindset and our work-rate and our dedication and tradition that we have got can do an excellent job for for all of us.”
The Socceroos can be with out striker Mitch Duke (hamstring) for not less than the Uzbekistan match, with Bruno Fornaroli looming as his substitute.
Australia can be decided to banish queries over their capability to interrupt down a deep-lying defence.
“If individuals watch lots of soccer, you watch the highest groups on the planet like Manchester Metropolis – they arrive throughout the identical points, groups sitting in a block,” O’Neill mentioned.
“It is undoubtedly not as simple because it appears to be like generally and we follow the plan and the sport plan and as we have proven the final two video games, we get the end result that we’re after.”
Arnold reiterated O’Neill’s level and added: “a very powerful factor for me, once you take a look at the couple of objectives we scored, is getting gamers within the field and good numbers within the field to attain objectives.
“And I feel we have completed that fairly nicely.
“Whenever you take a look at the 2 objectives, one towards India and one towards Syria, they weren’t improbable objectives from Jackson Irvine.
“However not less than we’re getting him within the field now and giving us extra numbers and extra alternatives to attain.”
