Aussies Crush Kuwait 4-1 in Cup Opener

Asian power brokers line up to SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 JANUARY SATURDAY, 47 SportsSports support Blatter MELBOURNE: Kuwait’s Faisal Zayed Alharbi (2nd L) eludes the tackles of the Australian defenders during the opening football match of the AFC Asian Cup in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP Aussies crush Kuwait 4-1 in Cup opener MELBOURNE: Tim Cahill sparked an Australian outside the box and drove it into the top of the ference between the level of the Australian finished 14th in 2011. Australia next plays fightback after an early deficit as the hosts beat net. Cahill’s goal energized the Australians, who team and the Kuwait team.” Australia ruthlessly Oman in Sydney on Tuesday, while Kuwait takes Kuwait 4-1 in the opening match of the Asian pinned Kuwait deep in its half over the ensuing hunted for a fourth goal. Substitute Nathan on South Korea in Canberra. Cup yesterday. minutes. By halftime it was 2-1, man-of-the- Burns came close with two shots on goal until A vocal sellout crowd of 25,000 at the match Luongo himself rising above the defense James Troisi delivered in the 90th. Lineups: Rectangular Stadium, dressed predominantly in to head in a long pass over the outstretched “I would have preferred we didn’t concede Australia: Matthew Ryan, Ivan Franjic, Tim Australia’s green and gold colors, was stunned hands of Kuwait goalkeeper Hameed Youssef the (opening) goal, but from the perspective of Cahill (Tom Juric, 95), Matthew Spiranovic, into silence after eight minutes when Kuwait for his first international goal. seeing the reaction, it was the right kind of Mathew defender Hussain Fadhel opened the scoring by “It was amazing,” Luongo said. “It felt the reaction,” Postecoglou said. “They didn’t go into Leckie, Robbie Kruse (Nathan Burns, 72), Aziz diving to head in a low corner at the near post. world to me, and scoring it on home soil was their shells and, if anything, it made them more Behich, James Troisi, Mile Jedinak, Trent “The players were told in no uncertain terms even better. I couldn’t imagine a better day.” determined to overcome their opponents.” Sainsbury, Massimo Luongo ( Mark Bresciano, that (conceding) that kind of goal was unac- Kuwait’s stoic defense turned to desperation With the win, Australia took the early lead in 84). ceptable,” Australia coach Ange Postecoglou in the second half when Robbie Kruse was Group A, which also includes South Korea and said. “They were pretty disappointed in them- brought down by Salah Sheikh Alenezi in the Oman. Australia is attempting to win the Asian Kuwait: Hameed Youssef, Ali Hussain selves and we need to ensure it doesn’t happen area, allowing Australia captain Mile Jedinak to Cup for the first time since joining the Asian Fadhel (Amer Almatoug Alfadhel, 57), Fahad again.” slot home the penalty. Football Confederation from Oceania in 2006. Alhajeri, Khaled Alqahtani (Bader Almotawaa, The equalizer didn’t appear until the 33rd “Australia was very strong and took advan- The Socceroos lost the 2011 final to Japan. 74), Salah Sheikh Alhendi, Abdulaziz Alenezi minute when three-time World Cup veteran tage physically and with their speed,” Kuwait Kuwait is ranked 15th among Asian teams. (Yousef Naser, 64), Faisal Zayed Alharbi, Ali Cahill deftly met a Massimo Luongo pass just coach Nabil Maaloul said. “There was a big dif- Although it won the Asian Cup in 1980, Kuwait Almaqseed. — AP.

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