Asian Cup

[Snoop Drog]

A late late Tim Cahill goal secures a one all draw for the Socceroos against mighty world football powerhouse Oman :D

34 degrees and humid- The Aussies never looked comfortable and their self styled tournament "favourites" tag must be questioned...

[highlight100]

all the latest news is here
http://www.afcasiancup.com/en/

[Risteard]

So who are the tips
South Korea and Japan?

[DmanDmythDledge]

So who are the tips
South Korea and Japan?
Australia.

[pineapple stu]

Is that a real tip or a dman tip? :p

[DmanDmythDledge]

Is that a real tip or a dman tip? :p
Both. Care to comment on Uruguay now?

[Cymro]

A late late Tim Cahill goal secures a one all draw for the Socceroos against mighty world football powerhouse Oman :D

34 degrees and humid- The Aussies never looked comfortable and their self styled tournament "favourites" tag must be questioned...

I knew they were making a mistake switching from the Oceania confederation to the Asian one-now we'll see them struggle to qualify for World Cups against decent opposition like Japan and South Korea.

And Oman, of course :D

[Snoop Drog]

I don't think they made a mistake moving to Asia (far from it) but I think qualification for WC will be tougher than what some people thought.

[Tepid Snails]

I don't think they made a mistake moving to Asia (far from it) but I think qualification for WC will be tougher than what some people thought.


You've got that straight! I was watching the Australia-Oman match at the Celtic Club here in Melbourne and the Australian performance is absolutely rubbish and deserved a heavy defeat. I am very much of the feeling that the FFA, the manager and possibly some of the players have taken this tournament too lightly. The team only played two practice matches before the tournament, only one of those in conditions similar to Thailand. The manager Graham Arnold is clearly not capable of achieving results and should be sacked. This is really the FFA's fault as they felt they could win this tournament with a second rate manager. Unless there is a major turn around in the next two matches, Australia could well fail tom make it out of their group.

[eirebhoy]

I have a few quid on Japan. I watched them yesterday and they weren't great. Drew 1-1. I'm still confident though.

[Snoop Drog]

Hosts Indonesia slayed "heavyweights" Bahrain 2-1 last night in an electric game- End to end stuff all the way.

No guts, no glory!

[Tepid Snails]

I have a few quid on Japan. I watched them yesterday and they weren't great. Drew 1-1. I'm still confident though.

There looks like there could be a few upsets in this tournament. Should be great to see some new teams coming through.

[Snoop Drog]

Thailand deal with divers Oman and go top of Australia's group. Aussies need to beat Iraq to get their run back on track...

[eirebhoy]

Iraq beat Australia 3-1.

Japan winning 3-0 against UAE after an hour. :D

[Tepid Snails]

Iraq beat Australia 3-1.

The "Sack Graham Arnold" campaign is in full swing. http://www.sackarnold.com/

[Snoop Drog]

The "Sack Graham Arnold" campaign is in full swing. http://www.sackarnold.com/


Dick Advocaat it waiting in the wings according to today's Sydney Morning Herald...

[eirebhoy]

Naka!

X02ZZrtNhO8

[red rovers]

Australia beaten Thailand 1-0.Omen drawing 0-0 with Iraq.Japan beat Vietnam 4-1 and U.A.E beat Qatar 2-1.

[eirebhoy]

If it stays as it is Japan and Australia will meet in the QF's.

[red rovers]

it is now 3-0 to Australia

[red rovers]

4-0 to Australia

[red rovers]

Full time Australia 4-0 Thailand,Iraq 0-0 Omen

[eirebhoy]

That's that. Australia v Japan on Saturday.

[red rovers]

And Iraq v U.A.E.

[Tepid Snails]

Not a convincing performance by Australia. Arnold gets to keep his job for a few more days. :(

[shedite]

I'm quietly rooting for Iraq in this. I read a book about their football histroy in the Sadaam era, called "Baghdad FC". They've had as tough a time as any team in world football. Players being imprisioned and beaten for missing penalties. There's was no league in Iraq for a few years and the national team has been training and playing all games away from home. They came 4th in the last olympics too.

[Bluebeard]

I'm quietly rooting for Iraq in this. I read a book about their football histroy in the Sadaam era, called "Baghdad FC". They've had as tough a time as any team in world football. Players being imprisioned and beaten for missing penalties. There's was no league in Iraq for a few years and the national team has been training and playing all games away from home. They came 4th in the last olympics too.

Apparently, one of his sons was manager for a time, and whipped the soles of their feet on defeat. According to one report I read last year, the football side is one of the only uniting forces in the country, with everyone getting behind them and, it claims, the team is made up of people from many of the divergent ethnic and religious sects. If so, viva Iraqi Football.

[Tepid Snails]

Apparently, one of his sons was manager for a time, and whipped the soles of their feet on defeat. According to one report I read last year, the football side is one of the only uniting forces in the country, with everyone getting behind them and, it claims, the team is made up of people from many of the divergent ethnic and religious sects. If so, viva Iraqi Football.


Yes, Uday Hussein was the president of the Iraqi FA under Saddam. Poor performances were not tolerated.

[Snoop Drog]

Apparently Iraq last played a home game in...1980!

None of the players can ever go home as they are assasination risks. The Iraqi FA is based in Jordan.

[Coltron]

It's Iraq v Vietnam and not U.A.E. I'm in Vietnam at the moment and their really happy with how the team is doing.

I talked to a guy before the group stages and we were talking about Vietnam's chances. Of course we agreed that Japan were the team to beat and then I said what about Qatar and the U.A.E. and he said: "Yea, they're strong too."

And I thought we had it rough.

[sligoman]

What time's the Australia/Japan game on Saturday and is it on tv over here by any chance?

[eirebhoy]

Won't be on tv but bet365 will have a stream.

[Snoop Drog]

What time's the Australia/Japan game on Saturday and is it on tv over here by any chance?

ko is 11.20am irish time

[eirebhoy]

The big match is on in 10 minutes. It'll be on this site soon:
http://www.bet365.com/home/default.asp?lindex=1

[Torn-Ado]

Yes, Uday Hussein was the president of the Iraqi FA under Saddam. Poor performances were not tolerated.

Those pesky yanks. Why did they whack him. We could have used a guy like that.

;)

[DmanDmythDledge]

1-1 in extra time. Australia been down to 10 men since 76 minute.

[eirebhoy]

Japan won on penos.

[Cymro]

Aussies going home. Ah well, I reckon Japan will go on to win it now.

[Snoop Drog]

It took the sending off for the Aussies to finally wake up a bit in this tournament. Japan, to be honest, didn't really look like scoring until the last minute of ET. Kewell and Neil missed the first two penos

[eirebhoy]

It took the sending off for the Aussies to finally wake up a bit in this tournament. Japan, to be honest, didn't really look like scoring until the last minute of ET.
They had 2 clear cut chances in extra time before the Schwarzer save. Football won today. It was the equivalent of England v Brazil. I don't like Australia's football team. Japan weren't at their best but they were still a class above Australia.

[Torn-Ado]

It took the sending off for the Aussies to finally wake up a bit in this tournament. Japan, to be honest, didn't really look like scoring until the last minute of ET. Kewell and Neil missed the first two penos

Good. Two utterly dislikable w@nks.

[osarusan]

Good. Two utterly dislikable w@nks.

True, but I thought both played very well, especially Kewell, up front on his own (waaay out on his own) since the sending off.

Pretty poor game, Nakamura didnt do much, he never seems to run with the ball, just jogs. He never found a solid position either, moved around a lot.

Japan had more of the possession, more of the chances, but 2 poorish teams I thought. Australia didnt seem to care at all.

[eirebhoy]

Naka was poor. It was strange watching him as he looked a different person. He wasn't running around collecting passes, laying it off quickly or running with it at all. I wonder what was up with him today as he was much better in the previous match. For a player that runs more miles than 99% of players in Europe he didn't seem to break a sweat today.

I had €20 on Japan, Iraq -1, Liverpool and Limerick 37 (both yesterday). If Japan won in the 90 minutes I would have collected €340. :( Anyway, if they win the cup they'll make up for it.

[Snoop Drog]

Semifinals:

South Korea Vs Iraq (in Malaysia)
Japan Vs Saudi Arabia (in Vietnam)

[Bluebeard]

Semifinals:

South Korea Vs Iraq (in Malaysia)
Japan Vs Saudi Arabia (in Vietnam)

C'mon Iraq!

[osarusan]

C'mon Iraq!

Irag through, beat South Korea on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

Saudia Arabia leading Japan 3-2 with 20 mins to go.

[osarusan]

all over.

3-2 Saudi Arabia.

[eirebhoy]

The ref blew the whistle before the injury time was over when Japan had a corner.:mad: Considering the Aussie reaction to getting knocked out of the world cup by Italy I wouldn't be surprised if the ref was up for the Saudi's.

[osarusan]

The ref blew the whistle before the injury time was over when Japan had a corner.:mad: Considering the Aussie reaction to getting knocked out of the world cup by Italy I wouldn't be surprised if the ref was up for the Saudi's.

8 seconds early, but as they had a corner, he should have let them take it. Couldn't see them scoring though. They'd managed to come back twice, a third time looked beyond them. And even if they had, I'd say the Saudis could have scored again.

Nakamura had his first (and only) shot on goal after 80-85 minutes.....with shooting skills like he has, there are some poor tactics there.

On a side note, why does the keeper always run into the opposition team's area in these last-minute situations of there is a corner or a free-kick? Obviously I understand the value of having as many players in there as possible, but why the keeper? Usually there is one defender left on the half-way line anyway. Would it be more sensible for a defender (more experienced with heading the ball) to go up, and the keeper stay on the halfway line, able to put the ball back into the area if the opportunity arises, but also closer to his own area if something goes wrong?

[seand]

Apologies if this has been covered already, but does anyone know if the final will be available on Sky, Eurosport etc?