Cahill keeps the dream alive
By Andy Withers
Fox Sports
June 13, 2006
Australia 3 Japan 1
TIM Cahill grabbed his place in World Cup folklore this morning, scoring Australia's first goals in finals history as the Socceroos came back from the dead to beat Japan 3-1 in Kaiserslautern.
Aloisi ... another bare-chested celebration. Pic: Reuters
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The Everton midfield player scored twice in the final six minutes of regulation time before fellow super-sub John Aloisi netted in injury time as Australia recovered after trailing for much of the match to a controversial first-half strike from Shunsuke Nakamura.
Australia's World Cup dream seemed to be heading for a nightmare opening in Group F as it looked to be running out of ideas in the 35C heat.
But Cahill had other plans.
A second-half substitute for Marco Bresciano, he struck in the 84th minute to turn the fixture that had been given a pre-match "do or die" label.
Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, who had only just made a fine right-hand save to deny Aloisi from a free-kick, was at fault for the goal, going for Lucas Neill's long throw-in without ever looking likely to claim it.
Substitute striker Josh Kennedy, who made a substantial impact after his 60th-minute introduction for centre-back Craig Moore, involved in everything that was good about Australia's play, beat the keeper to the ball, which then fell to Cahill to lash home from inside the six-yard box.
Cahill was typically modest about the first goal, describing it as "a lucky swipe" that was "a bit fortunate".
"Basically it was just a long throw from Lucas Neill from the left,'' he said.
"It got a flick on (from Josh Kennedy) and it came through to Harry (Kewell).
"Harry's gone in on a challenge, the ball's popped out and I've just swiped at it.
"I think it went through John Aloisi's legs, and one of the defenders' legs and rippled into the net.
"It was a bit fortunate."
Cahill, sent into the fray in the 52nd minute, said it felt "fantastic" to go into the record books as Australia's first goal scorer at a World Cup finals.
"This is what we'll all look back to, not only the lads here, but our families and everyone who has helped us," he said.
"Just being part of this World Cup is unbelievable, but to get the goal is the icing on the cake.
"When you're a kid you dream of moments like this."
Cahill, who has been carrying a knee injury since the last weekend of the English Premier League season, beat Kawaguchi for the second time five minutes later.
He netted off the inside of the left goal post with a wonderful right-foot shot from outside the penalty area.
The goals continued Cahill's tremendous scoring record for Australia, and he has now hit 12 in 17 internationals.
Spain-based striker Aloisi, the third of coach Guus Hiddink's second-half substitutions, was sent on for midfield player Luke Wilkshire.
He added further lustre to the recovery when he scored a sensational goal, driving into the penalty box to lash home a left-foot shot after being set up by Kennedy in midfield.
The goals were a salvation for Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who was partially to blame for the goal that seemed likely for 60 minutes to end the Socceroos' dreams prematurely.
Schwarzer was unconvincing as he went for Nakamura's 26th-minute chipped diagonal cross ball into the six-yard box, and the ball sailed straight into the net after he failed to get a touch following heavy contact with Japan striker Naohiro Takahara.
The Socceroos claimed that Takahara, who led with his left arm, had obstructed Schwarzer, but Egyptian referee Essam Abd El Fatah judged the Japan striker had simply stood his ground.
The decision caused consternation among Australia's ranks, and Hiddink was visibly upset as he viewed a replay on a touchline television monitor.
Kewell, a surprise inclusion in Australia's starting XI, and holding midfield player Vince Grella were also seen protesting at the official, who gave Grella a yellow card five minutes later after persistent backchat.
Hiddink paid tribute to his side's ability to fight back after things had gone against it, saying justice had eventually been done.
"Regarding the weather, regarding the circumstances, it was very difficult to come back, and that's why I think these guys deserve big compliments for how they kept on going," Hiddink said.
"I'm not saying this out of arrogance, but we were sure that they were capable of doing so (coming back).
"This team is nice to work with because they never give up, and this team tried to play good football."
Cahill played down the importance of his perfomance.
"Just being a part of this World Cup means everything to all of us," he said.
"We've all worked ever so hard to be here, and the goal is just the icing on the cake."
Australia made a nervous start to the match, raising a spectre of the opening disasters in recent friendlies against the Netherlands and Liechtenstein, and Bresciano conceded a free-kick in the opening minute on the edge of the Socceroos' penalty area.
The chance came to nothing, but Japan winger Alex, a Brazilian expat, soon twice skinned Wilkshire, another surprise selection, before the Socceroos settled into a rhythm.
Australia captain Mark Viduka was an imposing presence in attack, particularly in the first half, both as a static target man and as a mobile striker who pulled his markers to the left and right.
Viduka had Australia's first chance, in the sixth minute, after he was played in behind the Japan defence on the left.
He forced Kawaguchi into a double save, first from a right-foot half volley and then with a first-time left-foot snap shot.
The keeper had to be at his best again in the 24th-minute, stretching to make a fine left-hand save to deny Bresciano after Viduka had set up the midfield player with a fine backheel pass.
Japan warned Australia that it remained an attacking threat five minutes before the goal when Alex ghosted past Wilkshire and laid the ball off to Takahara.
The striker shimmied past Scott Chipperfield to create space, but he dragged his shot wide of the left upright.
Japan continued to play more on the counter-attack in the second half, looking particularly dangerous with Yuichi Komano, Hidetoshi Nakata and Nakamura taking turns to exploit space on Australia's left defensive flank.
Yet it created just one opportunity in the second stanza, in the 87th minute, just after conceding the equaliser, when second-half substitute Shinji Ono teed-up Takashi Fukunushi in space.
The midfield player advanced, stepped inside Neill and rasped a right-foot shot past Schwarzer only to see his strike go the wrong side of the post.
Fukunushi could not then realise how much his miss - as he should have hit the target - would cost his side.
The Socceroos looked dangerous in attack in the second half but were rarely able to carve out a clear-cut opportunity.
Their best opportunity of the period, until the heroics of Cahill and Aloisi, fell to Viduka.
The Socceroos captain stepped up to accept the responsibility of a 67th-minute free-kick on the edge of the penalty box when Australia seemed to be running out of ideas and energy in the heat.
Viduka hit a vicious drive goalwards through the wall, and he cut a slightly disconsolate figure when he saw Kawaguchi make yet another fine save.
As at Telstra Stadium last November, when he feared his penalty miss in the shootout against Uruguay had cost Australia, his crestfallen face was soon to turn a radiant smile.
Australia next plays World Cup champion Brazil in Munich on June 19 (AEST), before lining up against Croatia in Stuttgart on June 23 (AEST).
Brazil and Croatia open their campaigns against each other in Berlin tomorrow.
AUSTRALIA 3 (Cahill 84, 89; Aloisi 90)
JAPAN 1 (Nakamura 26)
Referee: Essam Abd El Fatah (Egy)
Crowd: 45,800 at Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern.
AUSTRALIA: Mark Schwarzer; Brett Emerton, Lucas Neill, Craig Moore (Josh Kennedy 60), Scott Chipperfield; Vince Grella, Jason Culina, Luke Wilkshire (John Aloisi, 75), Marco Bresciano (Tim Cahill, 52), Harry Kewell; Mark Viduka (captain).
JAPAN: Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi; Yuichi Komano, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (captain), Hidetoshi Nakata; Naohiro Takahara; Shunsuke Nakamura, Atsushi Yanasigawa (Shinji Ono, 78), Alsessandro 'Alex' Santos, Takashi Fukunushi; Keisuke Tsuboi (Teruyuki Monawa, 56), Yuji Nakazawa.
Schwarzer: Referee admitted error
Players: Socceroos hail Guus the genius
Analysis: Hiddink plays trump at right time
Respect: Brazil impressed by Socceroos
Zico: Japan not out of it
NEWS.com.au: Fans paint it green and gold
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