Australia v Iran: World Cup qualifying playoff, second leg, 1997 – retro liveblog!
24-Apr-2020 05:34:07 | Guardian
- Updates from the MCG after 1-1 first-leg draw in Tehran
- Any thoughts? Get in touch on email or tweet @rrjparkin
32 min: Australia have finally broken the deadlock! Listen to that noise - 100,000 rise as one; what a moment!
It’s a recycled ball back into the mix from Vidmar, that just evades the outstretched head of Viduka, which draws the attention of Iran’s ‘keeper. But flying in at the far post is Kewell – who fires home to the roar of this delirious crowd!
31 min: It’s been an ill-disciplined few minutes for the visitors, who are unlucky to avoid a second or third yellow for a series of fouls.
Slater does well to keep this move alive, he’s looking a lot more lively tonight - and hang on, hang on..
29 min: SHOT! It’s Viduka with a terrific lay off, and from 30m his frontline partner-in-crime Vidmar has lashed a scorching effort that has just faded past the apex of the crossbar.
A warning shot. And now a first yellow card of the contest. Oh my, that’s a nasty one - it’s Khakpour who goes over the ball and catches Lazaridis halfway down his shin. No surprises, he’s been Australia’s best - let’s hope he doesn’t feel the full effect of that.
27 min: For the first time it feels there’s just a slight lull that’s fallen over this game. Although Lazaridis continues to shine down Australia’s left.
And now it’s Zelic - look at the twinkling toes go - such unique solo talent, who looks for Kewell in the centre, but the Iranian defence snuffs out the attack.
24 min: A first look at the combination of Ali Daei and Azizi. It’s large and little - the strength and the pace. The Socceroos will have to watch those two in transition, but either Moore or Tobin are right onto anything the Venerable Moustache tries to get moving.
A freekick for Australia as Viduka is brought down just outside the box. Will it be the cultured boot of the Bundesliga’s Zelic? No, it’s Vidmar, but it’s put into the wall.
22 min: Another marauding run down the left from Lazaridis - what a game breaker he looks tonight. Poor Sadavi looks like he’s blown already. He was one of the key playmakers for Iran a week ago in Tehran, but he’s chasing at the shadows of this superb Premier League left winger.
20 min: There are just the faintest of hints that Iran could be building their way into this match, having endured a frankly torrid opening ten minutes or so. Still little seen of Bagheri, or even Ali Daei and the flying Khodadad Azizi. He was voted Asia’s best player last season, but there’s been little to show on that front thus far.
18 min: It’s Foster and Mahdavikia who come together - they’ve both got handfuls of each other’s shirts but the whistle goes the way of the Australian holder. Ned Zelic is the anchor of this Socceroos midfield, but it’s an important role Foster plays - almost the water carrier to Zelic’s job as playmaker.
16 min: Cheers from the crowd - is there a shout for a penalty?! Referee Puhl says no, as Vidmar comes together with the Iranian skipper Abedzadeh. Did the ‘keeper bring him down? Hard to say - looked a genuine 50-50 perhaps.
Hasn’t he been lively, Vidmar - at the heart of everything so far - let’s just hope those early misses don’t come to haunt him.
15 min: A pause here as Zelic notes the ball pressure isn’t up to scratch. An unnecessary distraction this - you don’t need off-field incidents to break the momentum of this terrific, and pulsating on-field action. Venables must be very please with what he’s seen so far - his five in midfield are snapping at the heels, and Iran simply can’t settle on the ball.
13 min: A first touch for Bosnich in goals - if you can believe that with nearly thirteen minutes gone. And it’s a first shot on goal from Iran - but Sadavi has put that in about row ZZ, to the ironic cheers of this massive, and vocal, crowd.
11 min: A first chance to catch breath as Viduka goes in heavily on Estili. Two number nines coming together but there was only ever one who was going to win that battle, such is the frame of the powerful 22-year-old.
He’s coming two impressive seasons in the Croatian first division with Croatia Zagreb – having been chased by none less than the nation’s president Franjo Tudjman to sign there. Are there bigger European clubs out there with tabs on the former NSL topscorer?
9 min: OFF THE LINE! Can you believe this?! It’s Harry Kewell on the pivot, and his goal-bound effort is cleared by one of the Iranian centre backs. I can hardly call through all these updates in time - I hope the desk editor is keeping up.
How have the Socceroos not scored here?! And now it’s Moore - with another headed effort, and the Iranian skipper tips it over.
8 min: It’s Foster with a terrific crossfield ball for Slater. Their two clubs, Portsmouth and Southampton, might be sworn enemies but these two are the best of friends, and their understanding is clear for all to see on the pitch.
5 min: What a vignette of Iran’s temperamental skipper Abedzadeh. “He’s such a temperamental character, you just get the sense he’ll either be the hero or the villain tonight.” That’s the words of former Socceroos skipper Johnny Warren coming from the commentary booth beside us. And I’m inclined to agree.
He’s plucked a cross from Lazaridis out of the air with pure nonchalance, there. A one-hand take! He’s either got nerves of ice, or no human feelings at all. This has been unrelenting pressure from the Socceroos - they could be three or four clear already.
3 min: A fine run from Slater down the right sees a first corner for Australia, and Kewell trots over to deliver with his cultured left foot.
OH MY! It’s a long ball in - the ‘keeper comes and misses - and it falls to Moore at the far post, completely unmarked, ball at feet, with the goal at his mercy from about three metres out - but he scuffs the effort and it’s cleared off the line!
1 min: CHANCE! And it’s two inside the first minute! Vidmar again - how has he contrived to miss there? He spun and dinked the chip, but it sails just over the crossbar.
And have they scored?! No. It’s Viduka with a thumping header, that flies just past the post! We come back for a foul on the ‘keeper - but what an absolutely frenetic start to the match we have. Iran are all at sea!
1 min: CHANCE! Oh my. Can you believe it - Vidmar is through one-on-one after an excellent release from Viduka, but he can’t dig the ball out and round Iran’s ‘keeper and captain.
1 min: And we’re away! It’s Australia in gold and green running from right to left, Iran in all white.
Okay, we’re not too far away from kick off. A stunning rendition of the anthems after the flags of both Australia and Iran were flown into the stadium. And now our two sets of players are out on the pitch.
Tonight’s refereeing team are from Hungary – Sandor Puhl with the whistle. Will we have another Wunder von Bern on our hands tonight, in tribute to the great Hungarians of 1954? He had them eating out of his hands when he coached at South Melbourne, Ferenc Puskas – let’s hope his compatriot leaves home fans similarly purring by game’s end.
Speaking of tactics - I’ll confess, I’m not too sure what Terry Venables will put out tonight. He did pioneer the 4-3-2-1 “Christmas Tree” in his time at Tottenham, but I’ll be honest that side of things is all a muddle for me.
Will Horvat play as a sweeper, Slater and Lazaridis as wide players in a five-man midfield? Who can say. Surely a simple 4-4-2 is enough. Everyone’s doing it.
So - your predictions for tonight? Send us an email or tweet to join the conversation.
And who could be the X-factors for either side?
So - without further ado, let’s get to the team news, where there’s one change a piece for both sides from last week:
Australia: Mark Bosnich (GK); Craig Moore, Steve Horvat, Alex Tobin (c); Craig Foster, Robbie Slater, Ned Zelic, Aurelio Vidmar, Stan Lazaridis; Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell
What a sense of confidence there is among Socceroos supporters since the great El Tel took over from Eddie Thompson.
Tonight will be the 13th game under the former England and Barcelona supremo Terry Venables’ stewardship - so far they’ve had twelve wins and the one solitary draw, 1-1 last week in Tehran. Which just might prove the biggest victory of all.
There’s a fervour of expectation inside the press box here tonight, let me confirm that. SBS’s sideline reporter Kyle Patterson is buzzing around the place, as chirpy as a budgerigar. My young colleague Ray Gatt from the Australian has brought everyone pastizzi. A lovely touch.
It is standing room only in here – it might be hard to ring through the live updates for the desk editor to type up, but hopefully he can make out the words clearly. Telecom, or Telstra as they’re now known, offered a prototype of their new cable internet service, but I’m not sure how reliable, or indeed useful, that would be in circumstances like this.
Good evening all!
What a simply stunning setting for it. The Melbourne Cricket Ground - synonymous with every Australian sport except for soccer, but that changes now. There’s an capacity of nearly 100,000 for tonight’s match, and I can’t see too many empty seats.
Twenty-three years, five months, seven days. That’s how long Australian football fans have waited to see their team competing on the world’s greatest stage, following the path led by Rale Rasic and his indomitable heroes of 1974. Today – against Iran in Melbourne – this talent-laden squad has the chance to wipe clean two decades of heartbreak.
Legendary former skipper Johnny Warren had this to say pre-game: “It’s been a long time between drinks but we all know this team is more than capable, and hopefully they’ll go on and do even better than the boys did in ‘74.” If anybody knows what they’re talking about it’s the man they call Captain Socceroo.
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