LUCKY DUTCH SURVIVE CAHILL’S CANNONBALL
THIS, even Louis van Gaal would have to concede, was not a game for sitting on a barstool. It was a game that had you on your feet, that had you wondering if the World Cup that keeps on giving really can get any better.
The finest players on the planet will certainly do well here in Brazil to better Tim Cahill’s 21st-minute equaliser that goes straight into the ‘greatest volleys in history’ file alongside men like Marco van Basten, Tony Yeboah, Paolo Di Canio and Robin van Persie. It was Australia’s 10th World Cup goal and a perfect one at that. Cahill said it was ‘ one of the five greatest moments of my life’, the others being his four other World Cup goals.
But it was more than just the quality of the goals, even if Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie produced a couple more corkers. It was the unexpected drama of what was supposed to be a one-sided encounter; the courage and determination of an Australian team who weren’t prepared to accept they were here simply as group stage fodder for one of the favourites.
They might be the lowest ranked side in the competition. But they dared to dream and they even dared to lead the beaten finalists of 2010 and most recent conquerors of the mighty Spain. Hell, had Matthew Leckie been braver and shot rather than crossed a minute before Memphis Depay’s winner, they might have led for a second time.
That they went as close as they did to causing a major upset owed much to the complacency of the Dutch. They were defensively disorganised and lacking in discipline, with Van Persie (right) flirting dangerously with what could have been a crushing dismissal. As it is, a second booking of the tournament means he is out of the final group game against Chile.
It was as if the Dutch had undergone some kind of transformation that made it hard to believe they had beaten the defending champions 5-1 in their opening game.
Clearly, they thought this was going to be easy. But how wrong they were. Robben might have opened the scoring after accelerating away from Alex Wilkinson and beating Maty Ryan with a terrific, low finish. But after little more than a minute Cahill had levelled in spectacular style, meeting Ryan McGowan’s long diagonal ball with a thumping left-foot volley that crashed home off the underside of the crossbar.
It was no less than the Socceroos deserved. Australia had been the better team against their apathetic opponents, maintaining that momentum to the break and boasting 51 per cent of the possession in that first 45 minutes.
Van Gaal abandoned the 3-5-2 formation he had employed for this tournament and switched to a back four shortly before the break, a change that came initially after Cahill’s shocking challenge on Bruno Martins Indi forced the coach to send on Depay while Martins Indi went to hospital to establish whether he had concussion.
Like Van Persie, Cahill misses the next game. ‘ I play for today, not tomorrow,’ Cahill insisted afterwards. An unhappy Van Gaal claimed his player had been ‘ kicked out of the match’.
No sooner had the second half started than Van Persie had collected a booking for lashing out at Matthew Spiranovic.
And Van Gaal’s mood would darken further still with the sight of Mile Jedinak scoring the 54th-minute penalty that put Australia ahead. A harsh penalty, it has to be said, given that Daryl Janmatt’s arm was down when Oliver Bozanic’s crossed from close range and struck him on the hand.
The tactical switch by Van Gaal nevertheless proved a smart move, Van Persie levelling four minutes later after turning brilliantly on a neat pass from Depay and slotting his shot beyond the reach of Ryan.
Van Persie would then catch Jedinak with a challenge that could have earned him a second booking. But just as he escaped that punishment, Holland were spared the ignominy of dropping two points thanks to Depay’s 68th- minute effort from 30 yards. It swerved late, but Ryan really should have saved it as he dived to his left. After Spain lost Holland were through to the last 16 and they even had a visit from the King and Queen of The Netherlands in the dressing room.
‘It was wonderful,’ said Van Gaal of the royal visit. ‘A picture was taken with them and us, and Wesley Sneijder with a big award of 100 caps international matches.’
AUSTRALIA (4-2-3-1): Ryan 5; McGowan 7, Wilkinson 6, Spiranovic 6, Davidson 6; Jedinak 7, McKay 6; Leckie 7, Bresciano 6 (Bozanic 51min 6), Oar 6 (Taggart 77min); Cahill 6 (Halloran 69, 6). Booked: Cahill.
HOLLAND (3-4-1-2): Cillessen 6; Vlaar 5, De Vrij 6, Martins Indi 6 (Depay 45, 8); Janmaat 5, De Guzman 6 (Wijnaldum 78), De Jong 6, Blind 6; Sneijder 6; Van Persie 6 (Lens 87), Robben 6. Booked: Van Persie. Referee: D Haimoudi (Alg) 6.
Man of the match: Memphis Depay.