Oman 1-1 Australia

[only123123]

I acutally didn't see the game, but the result seemed to be really shocking.
It's either Oman is too strong or either Australia played horrible in this game.

One Australian player said Australia will win this Asian Cup with not even a single goal given. But Australia already had a goal given by Oman!
Not a good start by Australia.

[judicatormd]

lol... we'll see what happens.

[Motley Crue]

Australia looked very flat & in the end were very lucky goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saved them from easly going 2-0 or 3-0 down before Tim Cahill came on off the bench & once again scored in stoppage time to draw the match.

[AsianFC]

As MC says... Aus were very lucky to salvage the draw. Schwarzer made a couple of great saves.

Aus were very flat and obviously didn't cope with the weather. After the match Graham Arnold said: Not an excuse, just reality... Aus players aren't conditioned for this heat... some of them lost 4 or 5 kg's during the match!

Some pics: (http://www.flickr.com/photos/9753072@N03/)

[Toke-E-Yo]

...Welcome to the AFC Asian Cup;

I told you Australia would under estimate Oman!

I should know, Japan barley beat them 1-0.

[Wakarahen]

I don't know if it was a matter of underestimating Oman or just plain tactical inepitude. Arnold, while a promising developing coach, is no Guus Hiddink.

By the way Toke-e-y-o, I think much more highly of Osim than Zico and fancy he will do a lot for Japan. I don't look forward to the re-match, should there be one, this time round.

[Toke-E-Yo]

Osim called up younger players for reason, and that to focus on the World Cup in 2010.

[kewell_RuLeS.]

we got the tactic's all wrong, the boys played the worst game i've ever seen them play, and i'm not joking, timmy's goal was the real first chance of the game, we have to get better from that result, i think we need a new coach.

[Wakarahen]

we got the tactic's all wrong, the boys played the worst game i've ever seen them play, and i'm not joking, timmy's goal was the real first chance of the game, we have to get better from that result, i think we need a new coach.

I think this tournament will make or break Arnold. Perhaps Lowy has already decided that we need a big name coach. Even so, I am seriously worried that we will find it hard to replace Moore, Chipperfield etc in defence, no matter who takes over the team.

But I'm happy to give Arnie until the end of the cup to prove himself, one way or another. Farina had that opportunity, which seems fair.

[kewell_RuLeS.]

I think this tournament will make or break Arnold. Perhaps Lowy has already decided that we need a big name coach. Even so, I am seriously worried that we will find it hard to replace Moore, Chipperfield etc in defence, no matter who takes over the team.

But I'm happy to give Arnie until the end of the cup to prove himself, one way or another. Farina had that opportunity, which seems fair.

i for one wanted this australian coach to make it, i really did, but the difference between how guus had us playing at the world cup, and the performance we put on in the first aisan cup game, well they were miles apart, and it's funny how they blame the heat, oman had to play in the heat also, australia finished stronger then they started, so i don't see fitness as a factor, it was tactics, and arnie hasn't got this team firing, i believe the young defenders can do the job, but arnie needs to make each players role in the team very clear!, thats what guus did so well.