VIDEO: WATCH Tim Cahill’s goal that has the world lauding it as the best of the World Cup as the Socceroos fell to Holland in a 3-2 epic.
Defeat to the Netherlands by 3-2 in Porto Alegre wasn’t unexpected, but the way they lost captivated the world.
It means Ange Postecoglou’s side exits the World Cup, although they still have Spain to play in a dead rubber on Tuesday after the champions were dumped from the tournament by Chile this morning.
But these Socceroos will depart to a thunderous ovation.
The truth is Australia could, perhaps should, have recorded one of the great upsets.
Facing a side brimming with the confidence of smashing the world champions, the Socceroos met fire with fire.
Driven on by Tim Cahill’s execution of what could prove the goal of the tournament, they fought the Dutch with power and poise, reducing the Oranje to uncertainty with the directness but also precision of their football.
Most cruelly they will know that their own missed chances, and errors in defence, were what undid them in the end.
Cahill’s goal was an instant reply to the Netherland’s opener, and Australia even went ahead through Mile Jedinak’s penalty.
But the ruthlessness of the Dutch allowed them to edge a thrilling encounter.
Dutch players celebrate after Netherlands' Memphis Depay scored his side's third goal.
What the Socceroos needed above all was an assured start, to prove they had learned the lessons of Cuiaba — and they got it.
From the opening seconds, when Matthew Spiranovic won a header driving through the back of Robin van Persie, the statement of intent was there to see.
Within three minutes the Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal, was angrily remonstrating with the officials after a late tackle by Cahill on Indi Martins — it was crude, but then van Gaal’s side are themselves robust.
There were strong-arm tactics on both sides but also counterattacking football at pace.
Tim Cahill celebrates with teammates after scoring.
The Netherlands looked in truth a little unsure of what they wanted to be — retreating into counterattacking mode when Australia refused to roll over, and sending several balls aimlessly into touch.
On the sidelines Postecoglou followed every move, kicking out when Jedinak overhit a pass as if to show how it should have been done.
On the quarter-hour he almost leapt from his seat when Leckie shot down the right and cut the ball back astutely to Bresciano, whose shot was desperately blocked by Martins.
All of which made the Dutch opening goal so disappointing, even if it showed in the starkest form their brilliance on the break.
Tim Cahill of Australia shoots and scores his team's first goal.
A pass forward to Robben on halfway invited a challenge from Wilkinson, but Robben flicked the ball past him and fairly streaked away towards the box.
With Spiranovic torn between confronting him and covering van Persie, Robben took another touch into the box, drew Mat Ryan and slipped the ball passed him.
Jedinak tried to lift the Australian heads, but within seconds they had the greatest tonic of all, thanks to Cahill’s brilliance.
It was not just one of the great goals of this World Cup, but will go down in history for the technique that brought a stadium to its feet.
Bresciano began the move, passing to Leckie in the centre who nudged it on to Davidson overlapping.
His cross was long and diagonal, finding Cahill 12m from goal and to one side — as the ball came down he met it on his left foot — his weaker one, remember — and essayed a stunning volley in off the bar.
If that invigorated Australia, they should have been delirious, for two further chances quickly came.
First Leckie’s surging run and cutback again found Bresciano, who shot over when so well placed.
Then Spiranovic was left crazily unmarked to meet Bresciano’s free kick with a tame sidefoot straight at goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.
Australia's Tim Cahill scores his volley.
The adrenaline was surging through Australian veins, which might have been the reason for Cahill’s wild tackle on Martins, earning a yellow card to rule him out of the game with Spain on Tuesday (AEST).
It could have been a more stringent punishment, with Martins eventually carried from the field with his head in a neckbrace.
So a rambunctious, exhilarating first-half finish, at least through green and gold eyes, but the Dutch were angry.
Within seconds of the restart van Persie was in the book for a hand in Spiranovic’s face, meaning he too will miss the last group game when the Dutch face Chile.
Sneijder also was galvanised, letting fly from distance and drawing a fingertip save from Ryan.
Then Bresciano limped from the fray, replaced by Bozanic, a blow given the veteran’s influence on the first 50 minutes.
Yet Bozanic’s first contribution was extraordinary — driving in a cross from the left on 53 minutes that struck Danny Blind on the hand, for Australia to be award a penalty.
Cool as a cucumber in frozen storage, Jedinak sidefooted home the spot kick.
Mile Jedinak of Australia shoots and scores his team's second goal from the penalty spot.
The story unfolding was barely believable, the Dutch in disarray.
Cahill stole the ball and released McKay for a looping cross desperately cleared, leaving Postecoglou with head in hands.
He had a point for within seconds the Dutch were level.
Poor Jason Davidson bore the blame, not holding the defensive line so van Persie was onside to receive Sneijder’s cute through ball, with time to smash the ball past Ryan.
Netherlands' Memphis Depay is congratulated by his teammates Wesley Sneijder, left, and Robin van Persie after scoring their third goal.
Just as unfolded against Chile, the game was utterly open, both sides trading chances.
Robben squeezed in a shot from the right that Ryan gathered, then a flowing Australian move ended with Cahill glancing a header wide from McKay’s cross.
Then McKay stole possession in the Dutch box and fed Oar but his cross to the unmarked Leckie was at the one height where the striker couldn’t make proper contact, and Cillessen grabbed the ball.
Once more Australia learned the hard way how missed chances are a losing currency at this level.
The Netherlands swept upfield, and Memphis Depay shot from 20m, Ryan flapping at it as the ball nestled in the bottom corner to put the Dutch ahead.
Now the Oranje were in full bloom — Robben dribbled down the right and cut back for Sneijder to shoot, only for Spiranovic to throw himself in the way.
Van Persie won a free kick, but shot it tamely at Ryan, then Nigel de Jong drove in a close-range shot that Ryan did well to turn away.
fonte: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/
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