Why Australia Will Beat Serbia

After sipping my pina coladas on the warm fronts of the Mediterranean, I’m back and with a full belief that, even after a pretty average campaign so far, the Socceroos will get up against the Serbians.

Why?

Australia always performs at their best when it seems no one gives them a chance. Let’s go back four years. The Socceroos could only manage a pre-match draw with Liechtenstein and journalists were writing us off, claiming we are lucky to score a goal let alone a win. But we made the second round.

Let’s go back even further to the game which meant the Socceroos qualified for the 2006 World Cup. Facing a daunting qualifier against Uruguay, the South Americans took a one-goal lead to Sydney. So much did they dominate in that game that the South Americans said it would be a ‘travesty’ if they didn’t beat the Aussies. The rest is history.

Still not convinced?

Serbia have NEVER won a game against a non-European based team at the World Cup and even more telling is that in those three games, they conceded 10 goals. They couldn’t beat New Zealand pre-tournament, they hardly dominated either. Also, so cocky it seems are the Serbians that Coach Radomir Antic has hinted at resting players on a yellow card so they don’t risk a suspension.

If that is true, which we doubt, he will have to rest his entire starting back line and strikers Zigic and Kuzmanovic. But still, like every other team that has played Australia this World Cup, they think a win is a certain result.

What about those red cards you say?

Well here are the facts. Australia have played more than half of their two games with 10 men and have only conceded three goals in that period. Add to the fact that the two players sent off are arguably Australia’s two greatest players at this Cup.

Some are also suggesting that the Australians will also be unable to keep up with Serbia’s slick possession and passing game. But when you look more carefully, Australia have run as astounding 10 kilometres more than Serbia, so they certainly won’t have time to dwell on the ball.

Who’s the ref though?!

Jorge Luis Larrionda Pietrafesa is his name and let’s hope he’s not the reason behind more idiotic decisions. He is card happy and has come under corruption allegations recently, just what we need. The worst thing is that he is from Uruguay! Who appoints these bloody refs? Hopefully he is a bit happier after Uruguay’s undefeated qualification for the round of 16!

Fact is, when the Socceroos have needed to step up in the past they have. They did it against Ghana and I think they’ll do it again here. Form is loss, draw so technically it should equate to a win next in the cycle! Whether or not it’ll be enough to qualify is debatable, but the Germans and Ghanaians are still both a chance to miss out on the next round so let’s hope they get stuck into each other!

Aus 3-1 Serbia.