The Socceroos second group match sees them take on one of the tournament favourites in South Korea. Socceroos coach Holger Osieck decides to stick with the same winning eleven and they line up as follows: GK-Schwarzer; RB-Wilkshire, CB-Neill, CB-Ognenovski, LB-Carney; RW-Emerton, CM-Jedinak, CM-Culina, LW- Holman; AM-Cahill; ST- Kewell.
For the first few minutes South Korea seems to be on top with the ball in Australia’s half most of the time. However, the Socceroos have a chance in the 7th minute when the ball falls to Kewell after a free-kick taken by Wilkshire on the right. With only the keeper to beat, Kewell gets under the ball though and volleys it over the bar from inside the box.
A bit of controversy in the 14th minute as a deep cross from the right is swung in and Cahill rises to meet the ball at the back post. Looks like a decent shout for a penalty as Cha Du-Ri then jumps into the side of Cahill but the referee has none of it. A few minutes later and the South Koreans are denied a free-kick right on the edge of the area as Culina tackles Park Ji-Sung and does not look to have gotten a touch to the ball.
Hwang Jae-Won then shows why he is a defender when he mistimes a volley and it comes off his knee harmlessly. This comes off a 19th minute corner that goes deep and is headed back to Jae-Won who is unmarked.
In the 22nd minute Holman wins the ball at the halfway line and releases Emerton down the right who switches it to Kewell steaming in at goal. Du-Ri brings Kewell down from behind and gets a yellow as luckily he is not the last man. The free-kick is headed away by the wall but only as far as Emerton who takes one touch and volleys it at goal. South Korean keeper Sung-Ryong Jung steps to his right and goes down to take it comfortably on his chest.
A big kick from Sung-Ryong catches the Australian defenders out and Ji Dong-Won manages to get to the ball in the box, control it and lay it back to an unmarked Koo Ja-Cheol at the penalty spot. Ja-Cheol drives it low into the left corner for his third goal of the tournament leaving Schwarzer no chance!
Quick passing in the 26th minute opens up the Australian defence and Dong-Won takes a shot which Schwarzer parries away. Schwarzer then has to scramble after the ball and manages to smother it before either of the two on-rushing South Korean players can reach it.
A push in the back on Kewell as he chests the ball down results in a free-kick dead-centre on goal 26-yards out in the 30th minute. A nicely worked free-kick results in Kewell having a shot without the South Korean wall blocking him but he blasts it just over the bar.
At this point the statistics are showing South Korea having 55% of the ball possession and some sloppy passing by the Socceroos is contributing to this.
With 8 minutes left in the first half, Dong-Won gets a free header in the centre of the 6-yard line and it takes a big deflection off Carney but lucky for Australia it goes wide.
As the first half comes to and end the Socceroos starting creating some chances and in the 39th minute, Kewell has a great chance after Holman finds him with a pass across the edge of the area. Kewell takes a touch, looks at goal, and drives it for the far corner only to see it fizz past the wrong side of the post.
Cahill then has an opportunity to pull Australia level in the 40th minute but the South Korean defender gets his foot in to knock the ball out for a corner before Cahill can pull the trigger from the edge of the 6-yard box.
Not only are the South Koreans quick to counter attack but they look very patient on the ball, passing it around as they probe the Socceroos defence for an opening.
A couple of late slide tackles during the first half have seen Emerton and Ognenovski pick up yellows. It may prove costly as Australia goes deeper in the tournament.
Stay tuned for the 2nd half report!
