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Vince Rugari’s match report will drop shortly, and keep an eye on the website for more reaction tomorrow. Until then, thanks for joining us.
“I’m very proud of that performance – the calmness and composure that we showed in defence,” he says. “It’s a top foundation for us to move forward.”
He is asked about the debacle getting to the stadium and the arrival only 35 minutes before kick-off.
“It is what it is,” he says. “When circumstances are out of your control, it makes it simple. You’ve just gotta do it. I can’t speak highly enough of all our staff for the way they prepare us. They gave us the best opportunity to perform tonight, and we did that.”
Irvine (right) in action tonight.Credit: AP
Depending on other results tonight, they could stay there or drop down the order by the time we wake up tomorrow. It makes the next fixture, at home against Saudi Arabia in a month’s time, incredibly important in terms of trying to qualify directly as one of the top two in this six-team group.
Burgess reacts after scoring Australia’s own goal.Credit: AP
The crowd is going crazy as Ito takes a corner and Gauci takes the save. Gauci has been terrific in this second half, and so has Souttar. And when the full-time whistle blows poor Burgess, who scored the own goal, is shaking his head. But the Socceroos would have happily taken a point before this match and this is still a solid result.
He’s on the touchline delivering directions, trying to eke another goal out of this match.
Burgess cops the latest booking after wrapping an arm around Ueda to stop him in his tracks.
Japan 1-1 Australia, 95th minute
He tries to make a break for it on the right win but is smothered by two blue shirts, and Japan’s backline recover the ball and probe for a bit.
Japan 1-1 Australia, 93rd minute
A bigger chunk this half. Behich has a throw-in and goes short. It pings around a bit before Velupillay tries to hold the ball up and some more ping-pong ends with Japan in possession down the other end.
Japan 1-1 Australia, 91st minute
Popovic pulls the rabbit out of the hat, and the man who turned last Thursday against China in Australia’s favour.
He gets on – and goes straight into the box for a studs-up challenge on Machida. That’s his second yellow in this phase of qualifying so he will miss the Socceroos’ next game.
Japan 1-1 Australia, 89th minute
Or Australia’s own goal, however you want to look at it.
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