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EvilDave

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  1. Sorry I couldn't be around last night, but thank you Mark for making this happen and for all your work on the forums - it's a brilliant corner of the internet and I'm really grateful you keep it going! Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you too for anointing me Writer of the Year. It's an honour to be recognised by a great group of writers and all-round excellent people. Here's to another successful year for FMS!
  2. I'm away this weekend so unlikely to be around (although may try and sneak in a visit!), but I'm a big fan of Wrexham and Sancho suggestions. Looking forward to catching up on what I' sure will be a great show!
  3. Sent and claimed - as sherm has said, some very tough decisions to be made there! Great to see these up and running Mark, thanks again for all you do for us.
  4. Sent and claimed, thanks Mark for getting this going!
  5. A typically rubbish performance from me in this one, although I feel being sacked by Verona on the back of Roma, Milan and Juventus one after the other is a bit harsh! Some trigger-happy chairmen out there in Italy, I don't see this lasting as long as some of the past editions...
  6. EvilDave

    25 Years

    Grimsby in the top flight is a stroke of FM genius, let alone getting there alongside Crewe and Torquay. Free fish and chips for life for all involved! This is a brilliant read as ever, Chris, and I don't see it being long before you make it up as well. Sort that Fulham defence out and it looks like you've got the makings of a promotion campaign ready to go!
  7. From theasiangame.net Asian Cup: Winners and Losers After Emirati Ecstacy The 2027 Asian Cup is now over, the showpiece final providing excitement until the final moments of the competition as Ali Saleh’s late strike gave the United Arab Emirates their first continental triumph with a 2-1 victory over previous champions South Korea. The UAE’s win was a surprise, not only for those present in Melbourne but for regular watchers of the Asian game, with Abdullah Al-Shehhi’s side not usually considered among the continent’s primary forces. But beyond the immediate headlines and aftermath of the Emirati win, we’ve taken a moment to reflect on the tournament as a whole to pass our verdict on Australia 2027. Starting with… The hosts Ever since Australia joined the AFC in 2006, they have been seen as a safe pair of hands when it comes to hosting tournaments. It only took nine years before they were given hosting rights for the 2015 Asian Cup, and only 12 more before their second turn in charge. Geographically, there may be some question marks over whether an Australian presence in Asia is really fair, but there is no doubt they put on an excellent show. The Australians were almost defiant in their selection of stadiums for the games, bringing out the big guns - the MCG, Stadium Australia, Adelaide Oval - and daring fans to stay away, rather than attempting to compromise by utilising smaller grounds. There were undoubtedly matches when the offer on the field did not match the splendour of the surroundings, but even with empty seats in the stands the tournament never felt lacking compared to some editions elsewhere on the continent. Things ran smoothly, there were no controversies or complaints - from a fan, footballer and AFC perspective, it is hard to fault the Aussies as hosts. The winners We’re not just talking about the champions here, although the UAE definitely qualify as one of the sides to have come out of the competition with more credit than they went in with. Joining them here are some of their West Asian compatriots - Iraq after a surprise run to the final four, Saudi Arabia after turning round a tournament that appeared in crisis to reach the quarters, and a Syria side who reached the knockout rounds against all odds. All can be pleased with their performances. As can the hosts, who could have ended up in the final had their semi against the Koreans gone the other way, an Uzbek team who looked very good until coming across the eventual runners-up, and North Korea, who were surprise qualifiers from their group and took Iraq to extra time in the last 16. The losers It would be cruel to place South Korea here despite failing to live up to their favourites tag, so we won’t. Instead the biggest two disappointments of the competitions were China, who were beaten by Uzbekistan in the opener and then blown away by the hosts without threatening in the last 16, and 2019 champions Qatar - who won just one of their three group games and then got aside by the Uzbeks in the knockout round. Not exactly the performance of would-be contenders. Hopes for the future We’re focusing here on those teams for whom this competition probably came one cycle too soon, but who we would expect to be back with a bang in four years’ time - the ones to watch, as it were. There are two teams we’re keeping an eye on, and the first is Uzbekistan. It’s almost a running joke that the Central Asians are a dark horse for every tournament, but this time they looked very good until running into the South Koreans in the quarters. With a relatively young squad, another few years of experience will do them the world of good. Alongside them are Thailand, who have been on the up for a number of years now and were unfortunate to find Saudi Arabia in top form in their last 16 clash. Some of those players will be gone by 2031, but there’s a good crop coming through and they’ll be primed for a stronger push next time. Thanks for the memories This is the section in which we bid farewell to some of our AFC heroes who have called time on their international career. We wave a fond farewell to the likes of Takuma Asano of Japan, Iraq’s Mustafa Nadhim, and Yasser Al-Shahrani of Saudi Arabia. But the main man is of course Iran’s Sardar Azmoun, who has carried the hopes of his nation for many a year. Team Melli’s talisman could not lead his nation to a fairytale ending, but his ailing body still put up a great fight for his nation. After 117 appearances and 78 goals for his country, we say thank you and goodbye to a titan of the Asian game. The ones that stay with you Finally, a chance to look back and recall those moments that will find their way onto future highlight reels, YouTube compilations and promotional clips. Not necessarily from the big games, but we don’t rule those out. We came up with four: First up, Ali Awana’s free kick in the final. It’s not often you see such a clean, pure strike of a dead ball, and you’ll be seeing this one over and over again. The fact that it was in the final, for the underdogs - it’s too good to leave out. Second, a tie between Azmoun’s 93rd-minute winner for Iran against Jordan in the last 16 - his second of the game and his last ever international goal - and Mat Ryan saving Shogo Aoki’s penalty in the quarter final. Two pivotal moments in crucial games that we haven’t seen the last of. And finally, our choice for the moment of the tournament goes to Mohanad Ali’s quarter final hat-trick for Iraq against the Saudis, with goals two and three coming in the 89th and 92nd minutes to turn the tie around. It stunned the favourite, continued a fairytale run, and was unexpected coming from a man in his first start of the competition. It doesn’t get much better than that. And that, as they say, is that. Congratulations once again to the United Arab Emirates on their Asian Cup trophy, Australia on hosting a fine tournament, and Sardar Azmoun on a marvellous international career. We’re already looking forward to India in four years’ time. --- That's all for this story - a surprise winner at the end of a long and entertaining tournament. Thank you for joining me on the journey, and hopefully see you soon in another one!
  8. Thanks for the kind words sherm, glad you've enjoyed it so far! -- From BBC Sport Emirates Stun South Korea to Lift Asian Cup United Arab Emirates 2-1 South Korea An 86th-minute winner from Ali Saleh secured a first Asian Cup title for the United Arab Emirates, shocking defending champions South Korea at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. Saleh snuck beyond the Korean defence to latch on to Mohamed Al-Nahyan’s pass and net the winning goal, just minutes after Lee Kang-In had equalised for the holders following a poorly cleared corner. UAE midfielder Ali Awana had given the underdogs the lead in the first half with a superb free kick, curling the ball into the top corner from 25 yards out. The final whistle sparked jubilation for the victorious players and staff, with manager Abdullah Al-Shehhi hoisted into the air during the celebrations. The 47-year-old becomes the first man to lift a trophy for his nation in just their second Asian Cup final, this triumph coming more than 30 years after they were beaten by Saudi Arabia in the 1996 final. South Korea enjoyed more possession than their opponents, but were unable to find their way past an organised and disciplined Emirati defence, registering just four shots on target over the course of the 90 minutes. The UAE started the game more cautiously, but led at the interval thanks to Awana’s textbook free kick. After Korean captain Kim Min-Jae brought down Abdullah Ramadan with a clumsy challenge, Awana bent his strike beyond the dive of Song Bum-Keun to give his side the advantage. The second half saw the three-time champions apply more pressure and play a more direct style of football, which was rewarded when Napoli midfielder Lee pounced on a loose ball from a corner to level the scores with 10 minutes to play. But their hopes of a late turnaround were quickly dashed when a late counter-attack saw Al-Nahyan’s ball work its way to Saleh, who finished clinically beyond Song to earn his country’s first major international honours. United Arab Emirates captain Khalifa Al-Hammadi: “It’s a dream, a dream come true. To lift this trophy with my brothers, to win for my people, it’s an amazing feeling. We knew we would have to fight hard, we knew it would be difficult, but we have a great spirit and we kept fighting. We are so proud right now, it is incredible.” South Korea manager Hwang Sun-Hong: “Of course we are very disappointed, but we have to congratulate the opponents - they played a good match, a great tournament, and now they have the trophy. Today we were not brave enough to win, we made some mistakes at key moments, and they took advantage. We are very disappointed, but we will come back stronger.”
  9. “Great ball from Lee between the defenders, finds Hwang cutting in off the left. He’s got space behind the defence now, Al-Shamsi comes to meet him… Just wide! Hwang tried to lift it over the goalkeeper and it drops just wide of the near post, big chance for South Korea there.” “It was, but all credit to the goalkeeper for sensing the danger. He came over quickly, didn’t go to ground too soon, and by the time Hwang took the shot the angle was too tight for him. Good goalkeeping.” “The Koreans have got in behind on a couple of occasions in this second half but haven’t managed to find the finishing touch, 65 minutes gone and still 1-0 to the UAE.” “They’ve definitely been a bit more direct and that’s brought chances, but not just at this end. Saleh and the substitute Al-Nahyan have both gone close at the other end, it’s becoming a more open game.” … “Corner now for the Koreans, and it’ll be Song to take. Gives the signal, then delivers an outswinger into the box.” “Headed up but not really away there, this could cause problems here.” “Al-Shamsi decides to stay on his line, Hwang gets a head on it but it’s blocked, oh it’s fallen to Lee! The champions are level!” “The UAE will be wondering how they’ve conceded there. It’s a simple corner but the header goes up rather than out, nobody really knows what to do when the ball drops back down and in the scramble it’s popped out for Lee to fire home.” “It’s a simple finish from the midfielder, right on the edge of the six yard box, but some serious questions to be asked of the defending.” “You need someone to take responsibility for the situation. Sometimes that’s the goalkeeper, but I don’t think he did anything wrong - you can’t go charging through that many players unless you’re very confident, because if you don’t get a good punch you’re in no man’s land. As soon as the ball hits the ground they’re in trouble, and Lee can’t believe his luck.” “Just 11 minutes of normal time remaining, and it’s now South Korea 1, United Arab Emirates 1. If it stays like this of course, we’ve still got extra time and potentially penalties still to come. What a finish we have on our hands here.” … “Still one apiece here at the MCG, just five minutes to go between South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. It’s the defending champions on the ball now, goalscorer Lee goes back to Kim in defence, and he switches it quickly left to Hwang Hee-Chan on the halfway line. “He finds Oh further forward, back to Hwang In-Beom in midfield, this is a good move from the South Koreans and he’s got runners if he can pick them out.” “That’s an awful ball, and there could be a break on here.” “Al-Bloushi brings it away down the Emirati left, breaking into Korean territory, it’s four on four here all of a sudden. Gives it to Awana inside, he’s got Al-Nahyan to his right.” “Awana is wide open if he can find the reverse ball.” “Drives the pass back to Awana, but it’s not accurate enough… Saleh! 2-1! Ali Saleh might just have won the Asian Cup for his country!” “He’s the only one moving, the only one switched on. The ball was intended for Awana but he’s gambled on it and it’s paid off.” “Al-Nahyan meant that for Awana and it just went past him, but Ali Saleh continued his run behind the Korean defence, no question of offside, and it’s a simple finish from 10 yards out. No chance for Song in goal, and the UAE lead again with four minutes left to play.” “Hwang Sun-Hong is furious on the sideline, his defenders practically stopped once the pass missed its target, nobody went with Saleh and he was under no pressure whatsoever. He did well to keep his composure, but you can’t fall asleep like that with so much on the line.” “He’s got his work cut out for him now, that’s for sure - if his side are to retain their title, they’ll have to do it the hard way. 86 minutes played here in Melbourne, and it’s South Korea 1, United Arab Emirates 2.”
  10. “So half time here in the Asian Cup final, and thanks to that incredible free kick from Ali Awana it’s the United Arab Emirates who lead South Korea by a goal to nil. Ange Postocoglou, have you been surprised at how the two teams have approached the game?” “Not really, I think apart from the goal it’s gone pretty much as we expected. We knew South Korea were going to come out and look to dominate possession, to take the sting out of the Emirati pressure, and for the most part they’ve done just that. We thought the UAE would set up to contain their opponents and look for the break, and maybe they’ve been a bit more proactive than we gave them credit for but that’s been the pattern of it. It’s just the scoreline that’s a surprise.” “You’ve obviously been in these positions many times as a manager, what do you do in these situations. Let’s start with Abdullah Al-Shehhi - you’re a goal to a good against a team everyone is expecting to beat you, presumably you’re expecting a backlash of some sort?” “Absolutely - you won’t get it here at the MCG because it’s so big, but at some grounds you can go quiet and listen to the other bloke ranting and raving. Al-Shehhi’s set his team up well, they’re obviously executing the plan he’s given them, and they’ve got the lead. I don’t think you need to change anything just yet - tell them to stay switched on and focused, especially for the first 10 or 15 minutes, because that’s when the storm will come. If they can ride that out, you’ll see the Koreans getting desperate and maybe making mistakes. If I’m in Al-Shehhi’s shoes, I’ve got them right where I want ‘em.” “And what about from a Korean perspective, what can Hwang Sun-Hong do to get his side back in this game?” “Well they’re far from out of it, but I think they’ve got to look for more angles of attack. Everything in the first half has been very steady, very central, all in front of the defence, which isn’t always a bad thing but it means the opposition know what they need to do. You saw early on when Oh ran at the defence they struggled to cope - I want to see the wingers more involved, a bit more urgency, balls in behind for runners. I don’t think they need to change the players just yet, but they can’t just hope to pass the other side to death.” “Let’s have a look at the opening goal again, is it a foul for you?” “Definitely. I think Kim is unlucky because he’s trying to turn, but he gets his legs all tangled and he brings the man down. The referee has to give it.” “And then the strike itself, is there anything Song could have done to stop that?” “The only way he’s stopping that is if he’s two or three steps further over, and if that’s his starting position then Awana can stick it in the other side. It’s great technique, head over the ball, gets it up and down, curling right into the top corner. If you look at the replay, the goalkeeper couldn’t be reaching any further, it’s a full stretch dive. Sometimes you just get beaten by a great strike.” “Before we go back to the commentary team Ange, how does this one end for you? Do you think South Korea can turn this one around?” “They’ve got the talent to do it, but they won’t do it with their current approach. The Emiratis are a good side, they’ve got a plan and they’ve got the lead. Korea have got to force the issue now, otherwise they’ll end up with silver medals.”
  11. “And we’re underway in the 2027 Asian Cup final! Hwang Hee-Chan knocks the ball back to Lee Kang-In, and South Korea will have the early possession. What an occasion this promises to be.” “It certainly does, both teams will be right up for this for different reasons. Obviously South Korea are looking to retain the title they won in Qatar four years ago, with the UAE hoping to claim the trophy for the very first time. It should be a great game.” “As the ball rolls out of play on the far side for a throw-in to the UAE, there have been some commenters this week suggesting that the two routes to the final haven’t been particularly balanced - is that something that plays into a day like today?” “Not at all, and I think it’s a load of nonsense to be honest. You can only beat the teams in front of you, and if the UAE haven’t knocked out many of the big guns it’s because those sides have lost games elsewhere. Korea’s path to the final probably has been harder, but that’ll just mean they’re used to the big occasion.” “A reminder to our viewers that the holders came through a group featuring Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Indonesia, defeated Syria in the last 16 before beating Uzbekistan and hosts Australia in the quarter and semi finals. The UAE topped a group with North Korea, Jordan and Malaysia before beating Kuwait on penalties, Iran and Iraq to get here.” “Korea have had tougher games, yes, but it’s the luck of the draw. They’ve been favourites for all their matches, whereas you could argue the UAE were underdogs against Iran and Iraq.” “Here is Ahmed Al-Bloushi, the man whose goal saw them past Iran in the quarter final. Tries to find Ramadan further forward but it’s well cut out by Hwang In-Beom and the Koreans get a foot on the ball.” “It’s interesting listening to the fan reaction here - there’s a big Korean contingent in the stands, but the locals seem to have thrown their support behind the underdogs here. Lots of Emirati flags painted on Australian cheeks, it would appear.” “Oh Hyong-Gue coming forward now, he’s running at the Emirati defence and they’re having to backpedal here. Let’s fly from the edge of the box, but it’s partially blocked and that’ll trickle through to Al-Shamsi in goal. Good intent from Oh there.” “Yes, he got up to speed quickly and it looked like the defenders were scared to put a foot in on him. A good block in the end to take the sting out of the shot, but the Koreans will be happy with that start.” “Hwang Sun-Hong on the touchline applauds his players for the attack, he’s one of those managers who always seems to be on the move, but he’ll be hoping for more of the same from his side.” “The two managers couldn’t be more different in their demeanour. Hwang is pushing the limits of the technical area already, and Al-Shehhi in the opposite dugout is still sat down, looking quite pensive, no sign of any particular emotion. It’s going to be a fascinating battle. Between these two as well as the players on the pitch.” … “This could be a chance here for the UAE, free kick in a good position, slightly left of centre about 25 yards from goal. Three or four players over the ball as the Korean wall is forced back by the referee.” “This is a dangerous position, it looks like it’s going to be either Awana or Hamad to take it.” “Hamad runs in, steps over the ball, it’s going to be Awana!” “My word!” “What a strike! Ali Awana gives his side the lead with a stunning free kick!” “25 yards out, bends it perfectly over the wall, Song in goal is at full stretch but he can’t do anything about that, right in the top corner. He couldn’t have picked his spot any better.” “The Emirati supporters in the MCG are going absolutely wild, and you can’t blame them, that is a goal right out of the top drawer. And despite having the lion’s share of possession in this first half, with 10 minutes to go before the break the Koreans find themselves behind.” “They won’t have expected that at all, they’ve looked reasonably comfortable and now they’re 1-0 down. We’ll see what they’re made of now.” “That’s only the second goal they’ve conceded all tournament, and the first time they’ve fallen behind. The United Arab Emirates are not reading from the South Korean script today, that’s for sure.”
  12. “Welcome back to BT Sport, I’m Neil Taylor and with me once again to look ahead to this weekend’s Asian Cup final are two former Premier League stars who know all about this competition - Tim Cahill and Park Ji-Sung. For your sake Tim we aren’t going to dwell on the semi final between your two nations, but it’s still a cracking final we’ve got to look forward to isn’t it?” TC: “It should be, two top teams with very different expectations coming into the tournament. South Korea, as I’m sure Park here will tell you, will have expected to come here and defend their title - and they’ve done a brilliant job of it so far, much as it pains me. On the other hand you’ve got the UAE, who nobody thought would be playing for the trophy, and are chasing their own history. It’s a great prospect.” PJS: “My country has a long history with this tournament. We are always among the favourites and won the first two, but that was 1960. After that we got to the final four times and lost all four before winning number five, so last time was a big celebration, a big relief. But now we expect to win, and that can create pressure too for the players.” NT: “The United Arab Emirates, on the other hand, made it to the final in 1996 when they hosted the competition, but this is the first time they’ve got there since then, and they haven’t been favourites for a game probably since they took on Kuwait in the last 16. Does the lack of pressure help them do you think?” PJS: “Yes, I think with less pressure you play more relaxed, and most players play better when they are relaxed. For Korea, there is the pressure of the title, plus the pressure of the record. It is a lot to deal with.” TC: “I think there’s pressure on both sides, if I’m honest - the Koreans are going for their fourth title to tie Japan, but if you’re in the Emirati team and you know you can create history by being the first side to win a trophy, that’s massive. It’s nice to be the underdog, but as soon as you get into a final you just want to win the thing. Everything else sort of disappeared for me.” NT: “What is South Korea’s plan likely to be, Park? So far we’ve seen them come through most of their games quite comfortably, will they change anything for the final?” PJS: “No, I think there is one main plan and the team will keep it, because it works. We have only let in one goal, and that’s because the team is calm, organised, no panic. When we attack there is no space for a counter, and that is important when you are a favourite.” NT: “Tim, can you see any way the UAE can break them down? What do they have to do to win on Sunday?” TC: “It’s definitely possible, but they have to be perfect - only Qatar have scored against Korea and they were already 3-0 down at that point. I think they have to do a few things - they have to use the emotion of the occasion to their advantage, be careful not to get too excited when they do get chance to attack, and be clinical when the opportunity comes. Against a team like South Korea, you don’t get many chances, so they’ve got to make the most of them.” NT: “What do you mean by using the emotion?” TC: “It’s a big game and there’s a lot riding on it, so they’ve got to use that to raise their level rather than getting overwhelmed. Both teams will be well supported but I think a lot of the neutrals will be on their side as well as any Aussies in the stadium, and you can feed off that too. But you’ve got to be alive to the game too - if they sense their opponents are getting frustrated, you can exploit that.” PJS: “An Ik-Soo is a very disciplined manager, and his players have to be too. There will be emotional moments, but I think the team can control themselves in the match. For me, the one weakness is the set-piece. We have some tall defenders but are not a big team, and have to be careful.” NT: “Before we look back at the two sides’ journeys to the final, a quick prediction from you both. How do you think this will play out?” PSJ: “It will be hard, but I think my country can do it, 2-0.” TC: “I really want to go with the underdog, but I just can’t see it. 2-1 South Korea for me.” NT: “Both in favour of the holders then - it really does look like the UAE have a big job on their hands to lift the trophy. But they’ve made it this far, and after the break we’ll be looking back at their tournament so far and the key moments along the way.”
  13. From theasiangame.net Asian Cup: Abdulrahman Believes UAE ‘Destined’ to Lift Trophy Former United Arab Emirates star Omar Abdulrahman believes his country will go on to defeat South Korea in Sunday’s Asian Cup final after their dramatic semi final win over Iraq in Melbourne. Mohanad Ali missed a penalty in the dying moments, allowing the UAE to hang on to their 1-0 lead and secure a place in only their second ever Asian Cup final, and first away from their home soil. Abdulrahman, who picked up 73 caps for his country and is now a pundit for Abu Dhabi Sports, believes his countrymen are fated to go and lift the trophy, despite being underdogs against the defending champions. “After watching this tournament so far, I believe we are destined to win the trophy. Every game there have been moments of fate for us, and I think there will be more in the final. South Korea have won three times before, but this time it is our turn to be champions. “Nobody expected us to be in the final, only the manager and the players believed. By the ranking we are maybe number seven or eight in Asia, but the team has shown the spirit you need to be a champion and to beat the strongest teams. I think Korea will expect to win, and they will be surprised.” Abdulrahman, who played in both the 2011 and 2015 editions of the Asian Cup for the UAE, identified Napoli playmaker Lee Kang-In as the man to watch for the opposition, before revealing the difference between the UAE’s current crop and the teams he was a part of. “Lee is such a dangerous player. He floats around the midfield, he always has time for another touch, and his passes always find their target. South Korea can score a lot of goals, but he creates most of them, and I think if you stay close to him you can stop a lot of their chances. “For me the difference between now and then is the difference in experience. I moved to Al-Hilal in 2018 for one year, and I was the first ever Emirati player to go outside the domestic league. Now, there are players in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, even China and one or two in Europe. The experience is bigger, there are different ideas, a lot has changed. In football you have to be open, to learn things, to grow. This is happening now for us, and you can see the difference. “Of course, even watching now I am very proud of the team, but when you have been a player you will always wish you were in the team. If you were 10 years later, or in a different moment - it would be amazing to experience. But I am happy for the team now, and I think it is destiny that they win in the final. I am looking forward to celebrating.” Whether the 2016 Asian Footballer of the Year’s confidence in his countryman is patriotic, fatalistic or both is a curious conundrum, but what is apparent is that those close to the squad do not believe their team is simply going to the final to make up the numbers. South Korea remain strong favourites to retain the title, but they will have to fight hard against a confident, determined opponent.
  14. “The referee points to the spot, penalty to Iraq - Al-Hammadi can’t believe it, he’s pleading with the official, but it’s going to be a penalty!” “It’s the quick feet from Iqbal that have drawn the foul there - he looked like he was going to cut back but he’s pushed it to the outside instead and Al-Hammadi has just left a leg dangling. You could argue he’s exaggerated the contact, but it’s definitely a foul and Iraq have a huge chance to pull level here.” “You don’t like to see this though, the Emirati players are surrounding the referee in protest. He’s trying to send them away, but this is going to be a long delay until they calm down.” “It’s not acceptable. You can see the manager going ballistic to the fourth official as well, it’s not going to do anything. It’s a big moment, everyone is right on the edge, but ultimately the player has made a mistake and they’ve got to accept that.” “Some of the Iraqi players have come over to try and drag the Emiratis away, this isn’t a pleasant sight. But it is clearing up a little, we’ll get to the spot-kick in the end.” “You’d think it’d be in their interests to let Iraq take it quickly, really - there are only three minutes to go, and if they score then they’re wasting time they could spend looking for a winner.” “The only UAE player who hasn’t got involved is the goalkeeper. Mohamed Al-Shamsi hasn’t moved from the middle of his goal since the whistle was blown - he knows this isn’t getting overturned, he’s getting himself ready for this.” “The referee has just about cleared the crowd of players from around him, and they’re taking up their positions on the edge of the box. The ball is in the hands of Mohanad Ali, and this is a huge moment for the striker.” “It was his hat-trick that got Iraq to the semi finals in the first place, and now with two minutes to go he has the chance to send this match to extra time. Ali vs Al-Shamsi with the game on the line.” “Al-Shamsi is making himself big, staring daggers at Ali. AAMI Park falls silent and Ali steps back from the ball.” “The referee is giving his reminder about encroachment - this is ridiculously tense.” “He blows the whistle, Ali hits it… oh, he’s put it over the bar! Al-Shamsi takes the plaudits from his team-mates but Mohanad Ali has smashed his penalty several rows back!” “You don’t know whether that’s the pressure of the moment, the mind games from the keeper, or just a bad decision, but that is a poor penalty from Ali. Generally you go for power or placement, he’s tried to do both and he’s missed the top corner by a long way. Huge let-off for the UAE.” “Football is a cruel game at times - one minute Al-Hammadi looks like costing his team, and the next Ali, the man who dragged his team here almost single-handedly last time, becomes the scapegoat for Iraq.” “Jubilation for the Emirati players, but with little more than a minute on the clock you’d have to assume that’s it for Iraq now. You always expect there to be one chance, and they don’t come much bigger than that.” … “There it is! The final whistle blows, and the United Arab Emirates are through to the Asian Cup final! They face South Korea in their first final since 1996, and it’s Hazza Khalifa’s first half goal that gets them there.” “Massive disappointment for Iraq, who played well and were handed a golden opportunity to level the scores late on, but Mohanad Ali blasted his penalty over the crossbar and that was enough. United Arab Emirates 1, Iraq 0.” “After needing penalties to beat Kuwait in the last 16 and a late goal against Iran in the quarter finals, the UAE are just 90 minutes away from Asian Cup glory. They’ll have to beat the holders and favourites South Korea, but on this run it’d take a brave man to bet against them.”
  15. From the australian.com.au Aloisi Defiant After Semi Final Defeat Socceroos boss John Aloisi has hit back at critics calling for his sacking after the hosts were knocked out of the Asian Cup by South Korea at the semi final stage. Kim Min-Jae’s 58th minute header proved the difference at Stadium Australia and there were boos mixed in with the applause as the home side left the field at full-time, with fans left confused by what looked like a divergence from the tactics that had taken the team so far. But Aloisi insisted his plan had been the right one, and that there had not been much between the two teams. “We’re massively disappointed, obviously it’s gutting to get all the way to the semi finals and then be eliminated, especially in front of your home fans. “But I don’t think the players deserve to be booed off, that’s not right. They’ve played well all tournament, and there wasn’t much in it tonight. On another day we could easily have been the ones celebrating, and you have to give credit to a great Korean team. “We knew this was going to be the biggest test so far, and we couldn’t treat them like we did Turkmenistan or even China - against a team like Korea you’ve got to have more of a balance, and the guys executed the plan well for the most part. It all got a bit mad in the last few minutes and we could have used a bit of composure there, but that’s tournament football for you. I can’t fault the guys out there.” When questioned about his own future, Aloisi was clear - he is the right man to take the Socceroos forward, and is relishing the challenge. “I think it’s a little bit crass if I’m honest with you - this country was coming off the back of a shocking World Cup in the States, and we’ve got our best result here since the last time we won it, playing some great football along the way. If a couple of key moments go the other way tonight, we’re in the final and celebrating. “Look, I’m proud to be managing this group of players, and it’s an honour to be the coach of the Socceroos. We’ve got three years now before the World Cup, and we’ve got to concentrate on making sure we get there without any drama. We’ve got a great bunch here now, plenty of players pushing for places, and we’ll learn our lessons from today as well. I think the future for Australia is pretty bright, and I intend to stick around and be part of that.” So far there has been no word on the manager’s future from the FFA, with a routine statement confirming that there would be the usual post-tournament review in the coming days. Given that this will also have to include the country’s hosting of the competition on this occasion, it seems unlikely that anything will be decided quickly. For our money, Aloisi has earned the right to take Australia to the World Cup. In less than a year in the job he’s got the team playing attacking football and scoring goals, even if the manner of the semi final defeat is a valid concern. A little more match practice against stronger teams, a little more international experience for the manager, and there’s no reason not to think he can get the results. This should come as a warning though - the Socceroos are a world apart from the A-League, and expectations will only get higher.
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