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Asian Cup loss: Milligan says Socceroos were ‘naive’

Jordan's Salem Al-Ajalin celebrates Anas Bani Yaseen's headed goal, leaving Massimo Luongo and Mark Milligan in disbelief.

Jordan's Salem Al-Ajalin celebrates Anas Bani Yaseen's headed goal, leaving Massimo Luongo and Mark Milligan in disbelief. Photo: Getty

Socceroos captain Mark Milligan believes naivety cost his team in their disappointing start to the Asian Cup on Sunday.

Australia began their continental title defence with an underwhelming 1-0 loss to Jordan in Al Ain, undone by a first-half header from a corner by Anas Bani-Yaseen.

Australia had 76 per cent possession but failed to turn that dominance into goals, with the national team now going seven competitive fixtures without anyone apart from retired pair Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak getting on the scoresheet.

“We hurt ourselves at the start and were maybe a little bit naive in the way we started the match,” Milligan told AAP.

“We just didn’t quite move the ball quick enough. Then we were sort of a little bit negative.

“Look, I think we sorted it out, but by the time we sorted it out it was going to be difficult.”

A member of Australia’s victorious 2015 squad, Milligan drew on that tournament to keep up his spirits as the team depart for Dubai ahead of Friday’s second match against Palestine.

“We lost last time and we won the tournament,” the 33-year-old said.

“You’d rather these things happen now than the quarter-final. This one’s done and dusted.

“We will have a look at it, where we went wrong, and we’ll be ready for the next match.”

Little of the Socceroos spirited, attacking performances demonstrated in warm-up games against Lebanon and Oman were apparent at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.

Despite their almost total monopolisation of possession, the Socceroos appeared rudderless in attack and, when pressed in the first half, looked consistently vulnerable in the face of intense Jordanian counterattacks.

Beset by injury in the lead into the tournament, Arnold experienced further misfortune just a day before the contest, with Andrew Nabbout – who had been slated to start according to Fox Sports – suffering a groin injury in training.

Starting in his place as the Socceroos spearhead was Jamie Maclaren, who coach Graham Arnold elected to flank with Robbie Kruse and Awer Mabil.

In front of a scattered number of Australian fans and a small but loud collection of Jordanian supporters, the Socceroos quickly established control of possession almost immediately following kick-off.

However, it was swiftly apparent the Jordanians were quite content to cede control of the ball to their green and gold opponents; demonstrating a clear plan to press hard, counter quickly and catch their opponents on the back foot.

https://twitter.com/ArabBallers/status/1081897171237130241

In contrast, the Socceroos appeared blunt and unimaginative; rarely looking like threatening the Jordanian goal with aimless moves forward as they struggled to find cohesiveness.

On 26 minutes, the Jordanians made Australia pay for their attacking haphazardness.

After Josh Risdon headed clear a long diagonal ball intended for Salem Al Ajalin the Jordanian’s orchestrated a short corner; Baha Abdel-Rahman rolling the ball short towards Musa Al-Taamari to swing into the area.

Rising over an off-balance Massimo Luongo to meet the ball, central defender Moussa Al Tamari met the ball with a powerful header that thundered into the back of the net to make it 1-0.

The Socceroos were lucky it wasn’t 2-0 just minutes late; Mat Ryan forced to make a sublime, diving save to palm a free kick taken just outside the area by Abdel-Rahman after Sainsbury, caught out of position, dragged down Mousa Suleiman.

Though definitely second best throughout the opening 45, the Socceroos were unlucky not to have a penalty given in the 44th minute of the contest when an attempted cross from Kruse clearly clattered off the arm of defender Feras Shilbaya, only for referee Ahmed al Kaf to wave play on.

Whilst able to move the ball forward at a greater rate, little joy emerged Socceroos in the second 45; continually crashing against a stubborn Jordanian outfit that erected a stout, compact, and organised defensive wall.

Heartbreakingly, fate conspired to deny the Socceroos when Maclaren thought he had tied the game up in the 87th minute after pouncing on a loose ball in the edge of the six-yard-box; the linesman’s flag indicating the 25-year-old was a hair offside before he came back to collect the ball.

Desperate Jordan then continued to hold on, goalkeeper Amer Shafi denying a desperate, final attempt on goal from Chris Ikonmidis and Jackson Irvine having his follow up cleared off the line as Jordan secured a famous win.

“Outstanding performance from all of them (Jordan),” Mark Bosnich said on Fox Sports post game.

“I don’t think anyone in Asia would have given them a hope in this opening game. They played like absolute lions.

“They had a game plan and they saw it through.”

Smarting from the shock defeat, the Socceroos thoughts will now turn to their next fixture, against an Oday Dabbagh-led Palestinian outfit on Friday evening (Australian time).

-with AAP

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