Sport

Socceroos defeat stubborn Syria 1-0 in second Asian Cup group game to qualify for Round of 16

And a huge sigh of relief washes across the country.

That was a very tense game, especially that second half, but the Socceroos have managed a 1-0 win to qualify for the Round of 16 with a game to spare.

Jackson Irvine was the hero tonight, capitalising on a lucky deflection but showing his quality by spinning in a tight space and poking the ball beneath an onrushing goalkeeper.

Once again, Australia's substitutes added spark and life to a pretty tired side. Riley McGree and Bruno Fornaroli added some extra dimension to the Socceroos' attack, while Sam Silvera and Kusini Yengi added width and speed when it was desperately needed.

It was certainly a better performance than that against India in the opening game, but questions around Australia's ability to break down deep defences, capitalise on set pieces, and improvise when Plans A, B and C aren't working will still be asked.

Anyway, a win is a win, and teams can take time to warm into major tournaments like this. They can use their final group game against Uzbekistan on Tuesday night (kick-off at 10:30pm AEDT) to work a couple of things out, hopefully giving some of these impactful substitutes more of a run before the knock-outs begin.

And you bet your butts I'll be there to take you through it all once again.

Until then, thanks very much for joining me! Go Socceroos!

A poor pass out to the left from Jackson Irvine totally misses Riley McGree, but luckily left-back Aziz Behich comes to the rescue, tearing up the left side and pouncing on the loose ball before charging down the line side-by-side with a Syrian defender.

He looks like he's got the pace to beat him, but he just runs out of gas and allows his opponent to body his way in front before clearing away.

A thunderous cross-field pass from Harry Souttar is torpedoed right to Riley McGree out on the left wing, who takes a beautiful controlling touch in-field before immediately cutting back and sending his covering defender down to the shops.

The substitute races forward, taking two touches towards the by-line before sending a deadly cross across goal that a flailing goalkeeper's leg manages to clang away.

So close.

Kusini Yengi picks up the ball on the left side and somehow Syria's defenders part, allowing the substitute winger to simply dribble through them all. It's almost like he's shocked he has so much space, and takes way too much time to decide whether to pass or shoot.

By the time the thought enters his head, a white shirt has tackled him, and the ball is pinged out to Jackson Irvine.

The midfielder clips a lovely cross to the back of the box for Sam Silvera, who has plenty of time to take a touch, but he tries for a heroic volley instead which... flies over the crossbar.

The centre-back picks up the ball in his own half and simply decides to keep running with it.

His galactic legs stretch out as he powers through the centre-circle, charging into the open space beyond as Syria's defenders track backwards.

The centre-back reaches the top of the box and passes wide right, finding Silvera, but the winger tries to cross the ball behind Syria's defenders instead of cutting back to where Souttar was stationed all alone near the penalty spot.

As the ball is hoofed away, Souttar is clearly furious, throwing his arms in the air and yelling at Silvera.

This game is nuts.

Sam Silvera gets a slice of cheese for a rough challenge on a Syrian defender that sends him tumbling into the grass. Deserved punishment for the substitute.

A headed clearance by Harry Souttar off a hopeful long ball falls towards the Syrian midfielder, who's about 40 yards away from goal. It seems way too far for anything, but he doesn't care: he curls his leg back and lets rip on the bounce, getting his knee over the ball enough that the flight of the shot sends gasps around the stands.

It sails just wide of the post, but a little more accurate and that could've been top-bins and a Goal Of The Tournament contender.

Wow.

Martin Boyle comes off for Kusini Yengi.

The free-kick is floated in beautifully, falling right into the chest of Khribin.

The striker spins and strikes, with the ball fizzing just over the crossbar, but the referee whistles for offside anyway.

It's a weird mirror-image of what the Socceroos have done for long spells, passing the ball between their centre-backs, trying to move it out wide but pressured backwards by some triggered runs by their opposition.

They've pulled Australia up-field enough to attempt a long ball over the top, but it's pretty impossible to attempt something like that with centre-backs as ginormous as Harry Souttar and Cameron Burgess there.

The long-ball is easily cleared away, but Syria are back on the ball again, slowly edging up the field as the Socceroos move further and further back.

A wild clearance sees Fornaroli charge underneath a leaping Syrian player, bringing the play to a pause as Syria set up a free kick...

Bruno Fornaroli replaces Mitch Duke up front.

Ibrahim Hesar is replaced by Antonio Yakoub.