February 11, 2009 11:22pm

THE Socceroos picked a point from Japan's pockets with a 0-0 draw in Yokohama, tightening Australia's grip on a place at next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Under huge pressure for long periods, the Socceroos somehow dodged bullet after Japanese bullet to maintain their two-point lead at the top of their Asian qualifying group.

With three of their remaining four World Cup qualifiers at home, Australia's vital away point on a chilly night at Nissan Stadium puts them within touching distance of wrapping up a top two spot in Group One and ensuring direct qualification for South Africa.

While they defended resolutely, Australia can thank Japan's lack of cutting edge in front of goal in large part for their nervy draw.

The tone was set early, as the Socceroos gave away three free-kicks in dangerous positions around the box and created little in the way of attack.

But Japan couldn't capitalise - Shunsuke Nakamura and Yasuhito Endo unable to find a way to trouble Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer with pop-gun set pieces.

Wastefulness and waywardness in the final third became continuing themes for Japan, even as the home team smothered Australia like a wet blanket throughout the second half as 70,000 fans roared them on.

Their best chance came in the 70th minute, when Endo's bullet from 20-metres was brilliantly saved by Schwarzer.

Eight minutes later, striker Keiji Tamada couldn't direct a point-blank header under the bar, allowing Australia to escape again.

It became clear it wasn't going to be Japan's night with five minutes remaining when Makoto Hasebe's goalbound shot cannoned off Yoshito Okubo in front of goal, and bounced away with Schwarzer looking beaten.

Despite failing to grab all three points, Japan still remain in a reasonable position to secure World Cup qualification.

April 01, 2009

Pim Verbeek has been to two World Cups as an assistant coach - both times with Korea - but never as top dog.

With the lure of hands-on, day-to-day club coaching calling him after his time with Australia, this may be his only time to lead a country to the world's showpiece sporting event.

So he could be forgiven a nerve or two ahead of Wednesday night's game ... the 90 minutes that could effectively secure that prize.

Not nerves because the mission is likely to fail but simply because success is so close at hand.

Initially, he denies it - insisting simply that it's a big game but that no one can look beyond that.

However, as Verbeek talks, he betrays the advanced stage they are at in reaching his overriding goal: to make South Africa next year.

"I'll tell you tomorrow after the game how I feel then," he said. "For us now, it's a game we have to win. I'm not sitting all day thinking if we win we have qualified.

"I'm excited, yes. It's great to play in games like this and great to have my players in camp for a week, and have the time to speak with them about how we're going to play.

"It's fantastic - every football player, every coach, wants to be involved in games like this and we're looking forward to it.

"We're so close. We've been working so hard for 15 months with the travelling, the games, the lack of preparation, the injuries.

"Everyone has done their jobs this week to get the three points towards the World Cup and that's what we'll go for."

April 01, 2009

The Socceroos moved to the very brink of qualification for the 2010 World Cup with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Uzbekistan at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night.

After a disappointing first-half performance in front of 57,292 fans, Australia came alive in the second half with a 66th-minute goal to substitute Josh Kennedy and a 73rd minute Harry Kewell penalty sealing the win.

The Socceroos' place in South Africa could be officially booked as soon as early Thursday morning if Bahrain and Qatar play out a draw in Manama.

But even if that doesn't happen, they now only need one point from their final three qualifiers - an away trip to Qatar in June and home clashes with Bahrain and Japan - to assure qualification.

“There was a lot of pressure on tonight's game because we knew had to win the game and we did and now we could be the first team to qualify for the World Cup,'' Socceroos captain Lucas Neill said.

“The second half, the boys put a lot of pressure on and we got what we deserved.''

There was a sense of disappointment from the home fans as the Socceroos headed for halftime locked at 0-0 on a wet night in Sydney.

But the Australian team sprung to life in the 59th minute when midfielder Jason Culina forced a top-class save out of Uzbekistan goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov with a brilliant, 25-metre swerving shot.

Kennedy, who somewhat surprisingly started on the bench, came on for Celtic striker Scott McDonald in the 60th minute and it took only six minutes for the substitution to pay dividends.

The towering Kalrsruhe striker again showed his prowess in the air in leaping to meet a Mark Bresciano cross and steer in a header for his sixth goal in just 12 international appearances.

Any worries of an Uzbek comeback were killed off seven minutes later when Hull City midfielder Richard Garcia, handed his first Socceroos start in place of the injured Tim Cahill, was brought down in the box by a clumsy challenge by Hayrulla Karimov.

Kewell, in fine form with his Turkish club Galatasaray, then stepped up and cooly slotted the penalty to secure the vital win.

There were few chances in a lacklustre first half, but both sides would have felt they could have gone into the break in front.

Bresciano had Australia's best chance in the 16th minute when he did brilliantly to take a McDonald cross but drove a shot straight at Nesterov.

Uzbekistan's best chance came when star midfielder Server Djeparov threaded a fine through ball to striker Farhod Tadjiyev but the hat-trick hero from Saturday's 4-0 win over Qatar flashed his shot just wide of Mark Schwarzer's goals.

The short turnaround and hectic travel since their win over Qatar clearly affected the tiring Uzbeks, who can now only hope for the third-placed play-off spot in Group A.

April 02, 2009

The Socceroos are just one point away from qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa following Wednesday night's 2-0 win over Uzbekistan.

The win virtually assured Australia one of the top two automatic qualifying spots in Asia's Group A and an appearance at successive World Cup finals for the first time, but their fate won't be sealed until June.

Bahrain's 1-0 win over Qatar in Manama on Thursday morning (EDT) denied the Socceroos official qualification but it would take a catastrophic collapse for them not to make it now.

A draw against Qatar in Doha on June 6 will get them over the line or, failing that, they would need a point from their remaining two home clashes against Bahrain (June 10) and Japan (June 17).



Even in the unlikely event they lose all three matches, they could still qualify directly if other results go their way and, at worst, they would still clinch third place and a playoff chance.

It seems only a matter of when, and not if, Australia will confirm only their third World Cup finals appearance after competing in West Germany in 1974 and Germany in 2006.

In front of 57,292 fans on a wet Sydney night, Australia recovered from a poor first-half performance to secure a gutsy win at ANZ Stadium.

Coach Pim Verbeek's decision to bring on striker Josh Kennedy in the second half paid almost instant dividends when his header broke the deadlock in the 66th minute, before Harry Kewell put the win beyond doubt with a 73rd-minute penalty.

Australia did it all without star midfielder Tim Cahill, who had been battling a calf strain and was left on the bench, while man-of-the-match Mark Bresciano, Michael Beauchamp and Carl Valeri all overcame injuries to play their part in the win.

"I'm very pleased and I think the medical staff did a great job," Verbeek said.

"Bresciano played a great game and he couldn't even walk when he arrived here (with a back injury).

"I'm very proud of the players ... they were patient and organised."

Australia captain Lucas Neill said the side got a "kick up the bum" at half-time after a disappointing first-half performance in which Australia failed to find any rhythm despite a week-long preparation.

It obviously worked as they were a different side in the second-half.

First midfielder Jason Culina forced a top-class save out of Uzbekistan goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov with a brilliant, 25-metre swerving shot.

Then Kennedy, who came on for hard-working Celtic striker Scott McDonald, leapt to meet a Bresciano cross and brilliantly steer in a header for his sixth goal in just 12 international appearances.

Any worries about an Uzbek comeback were killed off seven minutes later when Hull City midfielder Richard Garcia, surprisingly handed his first Socceroos start in Cahill's absence, was brought down in the box in a clumsy challenge by Hayrulla Karimov.

Kewell then stepped up and cooly slotted the penalty, just as he has done several times with his Turkish club Galatasaray this season.

Bresciano, who had Australia's best chance of the first-half, was again involved in the second goal, looping the ball to Garcia before he was brought down.

An offside ruling denied a late goal for the Uzbeks, who visibly tired throughout the match - unsurprising considering the short turnaround and hectic travel schedule following their 4-0 win over Qatar on Saturday.

Star midfielder Server Djeperov was impressive but the Uzbeks must now focus on clinching third place in the group to earn a playoff against the third-placed Group B team for a shot at New Zealand.

Australia sit atop Group A with 13 points ahead of Japan (11), who are also on the verge of qualifying and only need one win from their remaining three games.

Bahrain (7) are now in the box seat to claim third spot ahead of Uzbekistan (4) and Qatar (4).