Roos Cruise

Australia moved easily towards qualification for the next stage of World Cup qualification with a 3:0 win over Oman last night.  Australia was rarely troubled and should themselves have put away a few more goals with a number of good chances wasted.  But ultimately it was an easy win and sets Australia up nicely at the top of the group.



Australia passed the ball well and created a lot of chances.  It was a game that was easy to walk away from waxing lyrically about how well the Socceroos played, and justifiably so.  But as much as we should be praising the performance I admit that I'm sitting here scratching my head and wondering just what is going on in our group.  In the other match Thailand grabbed a scoreless draw with Saudi Arabia and sit in second place in the group.  That for me is what has got me buggered.  Thailand is in second place and is the only team to put up any sort of fight against Australia.  So just what the hell is going on with both Saudi Arabia and Oman.  Both sides have good coaches in Frank Rijkaard and Paul Le Guen, but both sides have been truly woeful so far in this campaign.  Both should be a far greater challenge than Thailand but it's not playing out that way and as a result we are now cruising through this first stage of qualification.  In fact both the Saudis and Oman are now in danger of not progressing to the next round.

Anyway things are going well for our boys, but our next couple of matches pose a fresh new challenge.  We have a mid-November double header on the road with games in Oman and Thailand.  The travel and climate will present us some challenges.  Just one point from here will see us safe for qualification and we would be looking to get that point, and maybe a couple more, in Oman.  Judging by the performance they put in last night I can't see them being much of a challenge even at home.  Thailand might be a different prospect and on a short turnaround and with the climate we could get caught out, although Thailand will also have to travel back from Saudi Arabia so it may not be the easiest game for them as well.

Anyway it's another three points in the bag, and we're almost through to the next round.  If we get three points in Oman it will be interesting to see if a few more of the squad players get a run in the remaining games.  I hope so.