jelly123
03-23-2008, 12:52 AM
A hugely inexperienced Socceroos side battled to a disappointing 0-0 draw with Singapore in a friendly game on a gluepot pitch at Singapore's National Stadium.
The youthful Australian side and their enthusiastic opposition struggled on a pitch which cut up and became slippery and heavy due to strong pre-match rain.
Awaiting the arrival of most of his overseas based stars for Wednesday's crucial World Cup qualifier against China in Kunming, Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek blooded nine players, six of them in the run-on side.
The infusion of new blood represented the biggest influx of newcomers in an Australian team since eight players won their first cap against Indonesia 18 years ago.
The difficult conditions hardly enhanced the many newcomers' prospects of making the squad for the China game, which Verbeek will finalise after the weekend's round of European club games.
Australia looked the more dangerous side early on, with Archie Thompson and James Troisi supplying teasing crosses along the six yard box and midfielder Mile Jedinak's low hard free kick in the ninth minute forced a good save from goalkeeper Lionel Lewis.
The Singapore custodian beat away a fierce 27th minute drive from the lively Troisi but could only watch a few seconds later, when a Bridge shot clipped the crossbar.
After a quiet start, Singapore became more ambitious and dangerous as the first half wore on.
Former Australian Alex Duric went close with two attempts, firing just wide on one occasion and shooting weakly at Ante Covic from close range.
The Socceroos struggled to create clear cut opportunities in the early stages of the second half, though on the hour Bruce Djite was put clear by Mark Bridge, but had his shot blocked by Lewis.
The home goalkeeper also turned aside a 35-metre drive from Nikolai Topor-Stanley in the 70th minute.
Covic spared Australia's blushes with an important 82nd minute save.
Newcastle Jets' Adam Griffiths joined his siblings Ryan and Joel as senior Socceroos in the match.
Other members of the Jets' A-League title winning squad to get their first cap and start the game were youngster James Holland and grand final goalscoring hero Bridge, who recently signed for Sydney FC.
The other debutants in the run-on side were England-based Troisi of Newcastle United, Perth defender Topor-Stanley and Central Coast midfielder Jedinak.
With one eye on Wednesday, Verbeek replaced skipper Harry Kewell and another experienced star Archie Thompson at halftime, with the Adelaide duo of Djite and Nathan Burns winning their first and second caps respectively.
Other debutants to come off the bench in the second half were Fulham's Adrian Leijer and Melbourne's Leigh Broxham.
Defender Jade North and goalkeeper Ante Covic captained the Socceroos in the second half, but the numerous changes and difficult conditions made it hard for Australia to establish any rhythm or pattern.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/upload_media/images/jpeg/kew300_1206192345.jpg
Wet and wild... Harry Kewell takes a tumble in Singapore
http://www.foxsports.com.au/common/imagedata/0,5001,5950013,00.jpg
Archie Thompson ... little impact on a bog pitch.
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200803/r234620_942062.jpg
Soggy affair... Harry Kewell runs the ball for Australia
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/80342914.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C863BA43ADD8CB0BF6E30A760B0D811297
The Australian Socceroos team sit and watch groundstaff attempting to dry out the pitch and its surrounds after heavy rain fell before the international friendly match
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/80342902.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C83C632EC6164DE2DDE30A760B0D811297
The Socceroos pose for a team photo
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/80342894.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C8B8822F6E287ED0AEE30A760B0D811297
James Troisi controls the ball
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/80342921.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C8183A4BE981AD614EE30A760B0D811297
Nikolai Topor-Stanley
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/80342898.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C899AB91EFB49205D7E30A760B0D811297
Graham Arnold and Pim Verbeek watch on from the sidelines
Images are all the property of Getty Images
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TYazB2qsKPI
Some of the Highlights from the Game on Youtube
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/socceroos/socceroos-in-dismal-draw-108690/
The youthful Australian side and their enthusiastic opposition struggled on a pitch which cut up and became slippery and heavy due to strong pre-match rain.
Awaiting the arrival of most of his overseas based stars for Wednesday's crucial World Cup qualifier against China in Kunming, Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek blooded nine players, six of them in the run-on side.
The infusion of new blood represented the biggest influx of newcomers in an Australian team since eight players won their first cap against Indonesia 18 years ago.
The difficult conditions hardly enhanced the many newcomers' prospects of making the squad for the China game, which Verbeek will finalise after the weekend's round of European club games.
Australia looked the more dangerous side early on, with Archie Thompson and James Troisi supplying teasing crosses along the six yard box and midfielder Mile Jedinak's low hard free kick in the ninth minute forced a good save from goalkeeper Lionel Lewis.
The Singapore custodian beat away a fierce 27th minute drive from the lively Troisi but could only watch a few seconds later, when a Bridge shot clipped the crossbar.
After a quiet start, Singapore became more ambitious and dangerous as the first half wore on.
Former Australian Alex Duric went close with two attempts, firing just wide on one occasion and shooting weakly at Ante Covic from close range.
The Socceroos struggled to create clear cut opportunities in the early stages of the second half, though on the hour Bruce Djite was put clear by Mark Bridge, but had his shot blocked by Lewis.
The home goalkeeper also turned aside a 35-metre drive from Nikolai Topor-Stanley in the 70th minute.
Covic spared Australia's blushes with an important 82nd minute save.
Newcastle Jets' Adam Griffiths joined his siblings Ryan and Joel as senior Socceroos in the match.
Other members of the Jets' A-League title winning squad to get their first cap and start the game were youngster James Holland and grand final goalscoring hero Bridge, who recently signed for Sydney FC.
The other debutants in the run-on side were England-based Troisi of Newcastle United, Perth defender Topor-Stanley and Central Coast midfielder Jedinak.
With one eye on Wednesday, Verbeek replaced skipper Harry Kewell and another experienced star Archie Thompson at halftime, with the Adelaide duo of Djite and Nathan Burns winning their first and second caps respectively.
Other debutants to come off the bench in the second half were Fulham's Adrian Leijer and Melbourne's Leigh Broxham.
Defender Jade North and goalkeeper Ante Covic captained the Socceroos in the second half, but the numerous changes and difficult conditions made it hard for Australia to establish any rhythm or pattern.
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/upload_media/images/jpeg/kew300_1206192345.jpg
Wet and wild... Harry Kewell takes a tumble in Singapore
http://www.foxsports.com.au/common/imagedata/0,5001,5950013,00.jpg
Archie Thompson ... little impact on a bog pitch.
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200803/r234620_942062.jpg
Soggy affair... Harry Kewell runs the ball for Australia
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/80342914.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C863BA43ADD8CB0BF6E30A760B0D811297
The Australian Socceroos team sit and watch groundstaff attempting to dry out the pitch and its surrounds after heavy rain fell before the international friendly match
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/80342902.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C83C632EC6164DE2DDE30A760B0D811297
The Socceroos pose for a team photo
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/80342894.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C8B8822F6E287ED0AEE30A760B0D811297
James Troisi controls the ball
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/80342921.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C8183A4BE981AD614EE30A760B0D811297
Nikolai Topor-Stanley
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/80342898.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1933B836CAF14D5D5C899AB91EFB49205D7E30A760B0D811297
Graham Arnold and Pim Verbeek watch on from the sidelines
Images are all the property of Getty Images
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TYazB2qsKPI
Some of the Highlights from the Game on Youtube
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/socceroos/socceroos-in-dismal-draw-108690/