Tony Popovic sat alone in the away dugout as his team started their warm-up, taking in the pre-game atmosphere in front of a surprisingly sparse crowd at Go Media Stadium, nestled in the industrial heartland of Auckland’s inner suburbs.
Despite the promise shown by New Zealand in the first leg of this Soccer Ashes tie, the crowd was akin to the turnout at GIO Stadium on Friday, big expanses of empty seats at this three-sided stadium a disappointment considering the bragging rights at stake.
Talk among the locals over pre-game beers was of how well they had played in the first leg, and how this was either going to be a step up or a come-down from Friday night.
Neither Australia nor New Zealand rang the changes, but the Socceroos starting XI looked like the team that finished the first tie.
This was a chance to see Nestory Irankunda unleashed, and to see Mo Toure leading the line from the start.
The loud vuvuzela-like introduction to the game as the traditional welcome to country stopped the crowd in their tracks had the fans reminiscing of their last time at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa; no matter the result, both of these teams were going to the big dance next year.
As always, the entrance of the teams was well after the advertised kick off, something that seems standard the world over, and both national anthems were met with warm applause, the biting cold of Friday night replaced with almost t-shirt weather.
Alessandro Circati and Chris Wood met to toss the coin, the Socceroos’ newest captain suggesting Popovic has already made his mind up about his future leadership roles.
The kick-off was almost an anti-climax as the loud music had thoroughly pumped up the crowd, but the White Noise, those loveable larrikins from the New Zealand active support, behind the southern goal, was immediately in full voice to keep the atmosphere bubbling.
Francis De Vries, who may have found himself fortunate not to be serving a suspension for this game, made his way across the field to launch a long throw; there were no secrets to how New Zealand were hoping to unlock the Socceroos’ defence.
Irankunda was down for a moment on the left, but there was no concern, but when Lewis Miller was absolutely burned for pace on the New Zealand left, there was definitely concern in the away dugout.
The hosts threatened, Wood causing havoc with his height in the area, and the Socceroos were looking shaky. Fifteen minutes in, and there was no suggestion of who was going to dominate.
Kye Rowles was clumsy but made up with it with a clever turn inside to make amends, Sarpreet Singh wowed the crowd with a tasty turn inside, but neither side could grab hold of the initiative.
Connor Metcalfe was harshly booked, clearing up when Toure was lazy coming to receive the ball in a sustained period of Socceroos possession. Chris Wood should have scored when Ben Old teed him up in the box for a clear shot on goal and Circati played a suicidal ball across the middle of the park that went unpunished.
The game was turning in New Zealand’s favour and when De Vries looped in another long throw, the crowd stood as one to claim a handball as Irankunda met the bouncing ball. Miller was pole-axed by Ryan Thomas, and all of a sudden Metcalfe crossed and Rowles had stolen a yard to get in a free header, but Max Crocombe made a flying save.
The moment that changed the half came when Toure raced through on to Metcalfe’s hopeful ball to outmuscle his defender and guide the ball past Crocombe for a splendid opener. He raced into the corner to celebrate as silence fell at Mount Smart.
Aiden O’Neill almost sneaked in a second soon after, his low shot through a crowd of players skimming past the post, but the All Whites were back on the attack, and only a flying save by Paul Izzo prevented Tim Payne from heading home at the far post after a swift break on the left by Ben Old had carved the Socceroos defence apart and given O’Neill a heart attack as his deflection hit the bar.
Singh’s radar was off with a wild effort that was blazed over from a promising free-kick, but the Socceroos were always dangerous on the break, Miller fizzing in a cross from the right that was well cleared.
The announcement of a single minute of injury time was followed almost immediately by the half-time whistle and the players disappeared down the tunnel, New Zealand again shaking their heads at how they had let their neighbours and cousins in to take the lead.
Izzo showed remarkable composure at the start of the second half to intercept a raking ball out to the right, but slashed his clearance into touch to jeers from crowd. There were no substitutions; this was no exhibition match, Trans-Tasman pride was at stake.
Singh turned to smash a shot in that Izzo saved well. Toure scampered up the left to win a corner and the Socceroos looked dangerous again. Some one-touch play on the Australia right had home crowd impatiently berating their team, and then the sucker punch came. Irankunda advanced with the ball on the right with Toure pleading for the pass in space out left, but even when the English Championship’s newest superhero seemed to be crowded out, he took a step to the right and slammed home a glorious shot for 2-0.
There was very little time before Wood found himself one on one with Izzo after Milos Degenek had missed a cross, and the Nottingham Forest striker delivered against the odds, firing under the Aussie keeper to reduce the arrears and keep the game alive as a contest.
The goal frenzy continued as Toure took control from Metcalfe’s persistence and advanced to slip the ball under Crocombe for 3-1, an excellent finish from a player high on confidence.
There was no time to take a breath as Toure played a superb one-two with Miller to lash the ball home for a hat-trick. The stadium was stunned.
Play was just about to resume when the VAR check curtailed the celebrations, the goal was chalked off and we returned to 3-1. A raft of substitutions failed to stop the all-out attacks as the game took on a World Cup final group stage decider feel until a challenge on Irankunda by Tyler Bindon had VAR involved again, overruling the somewhat harsh straight red card from the Scottish referee.
There were still 15 minutes to go; the way this game was going, anything could happen. And when Irankunda smashed a free kick in from 30 yards that dipped viciously to hit the underside of the bar, surely this was Australia’s night.
The crowd of 18,213 was entertained, despite the home team losing, but Luke Brooke-Smith gave them some joy with a sweet turn on the left wing as New Zealand kept up the pressure.
The All Whites pressed, albeit with no cutting edge. Martin Boyle messed up a three-on-two break, holding onto the ball way too long as the blue seats began to appear through the thinning crowd and the drunken home fans bellowed their disgust at the scoreline.
Nicolas Milanovic tried to spark the Socceroos into action again, but again he was too slow to offload, and there was no suggestion that the scoreline would change as the paltry two minutes of injury time concluded and the teams congregated, not sure what was going to happen after the game.
A low-key trophy presentation was made to Alessandro Circati and the Australia team posed briefly behind the winners’ banner before disbanding, almost in embarrassment.
The White Noise amused themselves with an inflatable ball as the players disappeared under the West Stand, Wood had already left for the airport with Arsenal and Big Ange on his mind, and all eyes turned to the press conference.
Popovic was up first, and he was clearly happy with what he had seen, his captain Circati showing tremendous calmness, goalkeeper Izzo again with a mature performance and Toure was disappointed not to get his hat-trick.
There was a glance ahead to the next window, with two juicy games in North America to really simulate the World Cup experience, before Darren Bazeley took over and faced the waiting New Zealand media.
He was certainly happy with the way his team had played but was again disappointed that they had lost; there were fine margins that could have seen them go in at half time with a lead, mirroring Friday night, but they had been undone by the pace and quality of the Australian attack.
On more than one occasion, the Kiwi head coach reiterated that he expected his team to win both of these games against Australia. That was perhaps a big call after tonight, but he was not ashamed of his belief.
This was a fantastic night for Australia. They had again dealt with the New Zealand pressure and shown composure to put their opponents to the sword. Toure looked classy, Max Balard was again full of verve and Irankunda was the X-factor that we know we possess.
As the last of the crowd headed off into the light industrial zone on this relatively warm spring night, Mount Smart was silent once more. The Soccer Ashes belonged again to Australia.
Texihttps://https://ift.tt/2h43ojB de force: Socceroos complete Ashes smash and grab mission with young guns firing
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