2007 Asian Cup

[Scuderia_Alan]

Going into extra time 1-1, this will be one of the great matches if Australia manage to hang on.

Just as I finished saying, "that's the sort of goal Australia would concede," they do just that.

Straight red seemed a bit harsh considering it's still hard to tell if it was deliberate with a replay. Referee has made increasingly perplexing decisions against Australia as the match has gone on.

Substitutions are interesting, no strikers left on the field. I guess they're just going to use Cahill.

Have to say so far this is the closest they've been to their 2006 peak so far.

[Montey]

Typing without thinking for a moment... this game and this ref' are really making me start to cry racist bastards! The ref'ing and the issuing of cards has been outrageous!!

[Righteous]

FARK!!!!!

[Scuderia_Alan]

Monumental effort in extra time to stay alive.

That first penalty for us really killed it, in my view it was a really poor attempt.

I don't think Japan were far and away the better side, they never really capitalised on their man advantage and played with little urgency.

[fp]

Great game overall. Evenly matched, delicatley poised.

As we saw in Deutschland last year - the referee is always right, even when he's completely and utterly f'ing wrong. This point was re-inforced tonight. Some very poor decisions tonight that may have had a bearing on the overall result.

Bittersweet feelings in regards to penalty shootouts as a whole. One the plus side, it almost always makes for an intense finish to the game, however, one team always goes home feeling ripped off. Like our guys will be tonight.
I often wish they would just continue on playing football, a third period of extra time, and it doesn't finish until someone sinks a ball in the back of a net.


Watching this match, I had the feeling that whoever walked away the victor would also conquor the tournament.
With only one quarter-final played, I'm going to predict that the grand final will be South Korea vs. Japan... provided Japan don't underestimate the Uzi's in the semi-final.

[Scuderia_Alan]

Semi-finals:

Saudi Arabia beats Japan 3-2.

Iraq beats South Korea 4-3 on penalties after finishing 0-0.

Certainly seems a good news story for Iraq. Hopefully they can go all the way and lift the cup.

Such an absolute disgrace though that suicide bombers would take advantage of large, jubilant crowds.

[fp]

I'm going to predict that the grand final will be South Korea vs. Japan...

lol, wrong!

Very surprising semi-final results indeed.

At least I got the "largest winning margin" game prediction correct :P


Next big game on the cards for Australia... World Cup qualifying games for Asia begin in Feburary.

Speaking of World Cup qualifying, the first qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup kicks off next month at the South Pacific Games, which itself serves a qualifier for the Oceania Nations Cup, the winner* of which will go to an intercontinental playoff against the 5th placed nation in the Asian confederation qualifying, which could be the nightmare ultimate irony for Australia.

As for the 2011 Asian Cup, Iraq and KSA have booked their spots in the competition by finishing in the top three in this tournament, as will the triumphant team in Saturday night's playoff for third place.
Two other finalists will be the winners of the 2008 and 2010 AFC Challenge Cups, a tournament held exclusivley for the bottom 16 or so ranked nations in Asia, and will likely be cannon fodder for the other teams in the finals.
Add the host nation to that, and that leaves only 10 spots for Australia and eveyone else to battle for in the qualifying tournament.

In the meantime, hope this weekend's games are goodun's. Go Iraq.
oooh, and the A-League season kicks off in about only 3 weeks. Go you Oranje Bastards.

* - Or in the highly unlikely event that Tuvalu win the 2008 Oceania Nation Cup, the runner-up will go thoguh to the intercontinental playoff, as Tuvalu is not a FIFA member, and therefore ineligible to enter the World Cup.