Australia ramp up World Cup preparations with 1-0 victory
Ajdin Hrustic has penalty saved after dour first half in Sydney
Childhood fans of the venerable Fifa Series (making its debut in Sydney) will not remember the Socceroos 1-0 win over Cameroon as a classic of the genre. It will go down as a game decided when Jordan Bos’ quick wits in the 85th minute allowed him to seize upon a Paul Okon-Engstler pass that went through Ajdin Hrustić, and fire home, sparing the latter’s blushes for a penalty missed in the 70th minute.
Maybe with the benefit of hindsight it will be seen as the launching point for a successful World Cup campaign, with the win snapping a three-game losing run for Tony Popovic’s side that begun against the United States last October, as well as netting their first goal since that defeat in Colorado. Perhaps there will be something about how snazzy the new kits the Australians debuted looked in action, or that the fixture marked the starting debut of an 18-year-old Lucas Herrington – the youngest defender to do so since Brett Woods in 1981.
Playing in their penultimate home fixture before they head to North America for the World Cup, the Socceroos had generally failed to trouble Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy on what was a degrading pitch at Accor Stadium before Bos struck. The first save the Epassy had to make was denying Hrustić from the spot with 20 minutes to go. Nestory Irankunda, after coming off the bench at half-time, would then flash danger in the 80th and 81st minute, forcing the Indomitable Lions’ keeper into a sharp save with the former, before the Socceroos wingback delivered the goods.
