With 15 minutes remaining until kick off at the boutique Robina Stadium, phones tuned into the competing AFL and NRL games, and with Bahrain having vacated their half of the field early following their warm-up, the sight of the Socceroos running through an intense and professional warm-up was a welcome sight.
The relaxed Australian players, resplendent in their white training tops, were applauded off the field by a growing crowd eager to see them continue their 100 per cent record against a traditionally stubborn opponent. International football had arrived on the Gold Coast and as the blue seats turned gold, and the flames from the fire machines filled the air, the capacity crowd lapped up the announcement of the strong starting line-up.
An agitated match commissioner gesticulated at photographers, the anthems were immense, a warm applause for tonight’s visitors overtaken by a proud and stirring rendition of the Aussie national hymn. The expectant crowd watched on early as Kusini Yengi put himself about early on, and a shot from Alessandro Circati was deflected and pushed over by Ebrahim Lutfalla, almost in slow motion.
Kusini Yengi. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The active fans roared behind the goal, the marvellous acoustics amplifying every chant at this closed-in and functional sporting venue.
By half-time, the mood remained quietly confident, despite Bahrain having held their hosts admirably. The visitors had looked slick in possession. Maty Ryan was fortunate to escape sanction coming for a ball he was never going to get, smashing into his opponent. The referee waved away the physios, perhaps wise to any early game management to disrupt the flow.
Martin Boyle had the ball in the net but it was way offside in the build-up. Circati’s cross-field balls were poor, at one stage launching the ball directly out of play under no pressure. Craig Goodwin provided flashes of inspiration on the left, Yengi met one stinging cross right in front but the ball was well wide. It was frustrating, but there was no hint of panic ahead of a crucial second half.
Words had clearly been said at the break, Graham Arnold’s men straight out of the blocks. Goodwin and Jackson Irvine gave the crowd positive moments. The first of many flashpoints saw a Bahrain player left on the floor, a gang of yellow shirts rushing in to pick him up, suggesting the initiation of the play-acting.
Arnie sensed disquiet in the Gold Coast crowd. He introduced live wire fan-favourite Nestory Irankunda to replace the ineffectual Boyle. Goodwin had no intention of winning a header or a challenge this evening, and the long punt from the back was the preferred option, with little chance of success.
The referee continued to deny the physios entry to the field despite numerous theatrical moments, red shirts rolling around in perceived agony, and it all came to a head just as the bumper crowd figure of 24,644 was announced.
Yengi reached out with a foot and seemed to catch his opponent in the face. That was too much for the Bahrain players, who all rushed in to bemoan the referee and the apologetic assailant, and it was no surprise to see a straight red card for the Portsmouth striker. Now it was time to panic.
Arnie rushed to return a ball to the field; Connor Metcalfe sprinted off when he was substituted. Circati dived to win a free kick. It was time to get dirty. Irankunda roused the crowd with a powerful shot that didn’t trouble Lutfalla, and the goalkeeper took great pleasure in eating up as much time as possible on the ground to a chorus of boos.
A tired punt over the top by Harry Souttar left the thinning crowd deflated, the central defender’s shoulders slumped in resignation. But worse was to come when Bahrain sliced through the Australia defence on the left. A fierce cross hit Souttar and left Maty Ryan clutching as the ball found the net at the near post.
It looked like a blunder by Ryan until the deflection became evident. The scene on the Bahrain bench was of pure joy and almost disbelief. The neutral observer would have eaten this up. This was the underdog’s day.
“Arnie out,” came the inevitable chant, almost in jest.
“We’re f—ing shit,” was the next one, as the Gold Coast crowd showed their darkest humour.
The sole Bahrain cameraman in the tribunes was full of joy, shouting excitedly into his microphone. The shock win was on.
The game still wasn’t over though. Awer Mabil won a free kick in a dangerous position, giving Australia a final opportunity with the six additional minutes up. The much-travelled midfielder’s set-piece beat the defenders and found Duke, rushing in, whose free header went the wrong side of the post, and, with it, Australia’s final chance to salvage the game.
(Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
It was too much for one junior Peter Hore-style pitch invader, racing on to the field to disrupt the final throes before jumping back into the crowd and into the waiting arms of security. When play restarted, the whistle sounded and Bahrain players and staff raced on to the field in animated delight.
There was disbelief as the journalists gathered for the press conferences. Bahrain coach Dragan Talajic fielded questions from a polite crowd, enjoying the congratulations that came his way from the gracious Aussie media pack. There was no denying this was smash and grab, but Talajic congratulated his players and let player of the match Amine Benaddi field questions via the team translator. The Bahrain team had a plan and they stuck to it. They prepared well and they got what they played for. They now had confidence and belief going in to their next game. But Australia were still the big favourite in the group.
Arnie’s stern face told the story as he walked in. He brought no players. Expressing his frustration at the 46 minutes of actual game time tonight, and stating that Bahrain had spent ten days preparing for this game, this was a coach on the defensive who was not keen to go deeper than sharing his disappointment. He called on the Aussie DNA and the backs-against-the-wall determination of the Socceroos, so early in this ten-game qualification phase to be bringing out such terms, but this had been a disastrous result. He rattled off the names of full backs who were missing tonight, but in reality, none of those would have stood out over what we had on the field tonight. When presented with the stats of 71% possession and only 19 touches in the penalty area, there was indignation and the press conference ended as it started, in shell-shocked silence.
As the two squads made their way out of the stadium one by one, the Bahrain contingent earning the praise of their Football Australia contemporaries, there was time for some words from the key Australia players. The articulate and stylish Jackson Irvine admitted that the Indonesia fixture was now a massive game and that this had been a wake-up call to some of the newer Socceroos players. Harry Souttar conceded that the performance was sloppy and that they had to put it behind them as quickly as possible. Maty Ryan was perhaps the most disappointed of all, the team had been naïve, they had given the opposition goalkeeper a quiet night and they didn’t do enough in the final third. His line of ‘adversity is motivation’ was poignant, and we await the reaction in Jakarta as Australia seek to turn around this unimpressive start to this vital qualification phase.
What an evening in Robina. Not only did Australia miss a golden opportunity to forge ahead in qualifying, but they also left a sour taste in the mouths of the eager Gold Coast crowd. At a time when football needs all the eyes it can get on the game, Harry Souttar’s was not the only own goal this evening. We never do it easily. Are we looking forward to the Intercontinental play-offs again?