Australia to face Japan in Asian Cup final

01-26-2011 09:24 BJT

Australia took a comprehensive 6-0 win over a tactically unsteady Uzbekistan side at the second Asian Cup semifinal on Tuesday.

Australia's player Robbie Kruse vies for the ball with Uzbekistan's player Azizbek Haydarov during their AFC Asian Cup semifinal soccer match in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday Jan. 25, 2011. [Photo: CFP]

The Socceroos will challenge Japan, who beat South Korea 5-2 through penalties in another semifinal after a 2-2 draw, in the final on Jan. 29. Uzbekistan are to play South Korea in the third- place game on Jan. 28.

Uzbekistan were one of the best-performed teams in the tournament, but their success with different formations and lineups in the past four games seemed to be wrong this time facing an experienced and cunning World Cup side. The humiliating defeat also created the biggest scoring margin of the tournament.

Veteran forward Harry Kewell, who scored the winner against defending champions Iraq in the quarterfinal, produced a flying start for the Socceroos with a diagonal low shot in the box following a through pass from the midfield in the 5th minute.

AFC 2010 Footballer of the Year Sasa Ognenovski doubled the lead on 34 minutes with a calm drive after Tim Cahill flicked David Carney's left flank freekick into the center of the area to pick the unmarked defender.

The second half was a disaster for the Uzbekis, who was down to ten men after striker Bakaev received his marching orders following a tackle in the 67th minute. David Carney, substitute Brett Emerton and Robbie Kruse, and Carl Valeri were the other four goal scorers.

Uzbekistan coach Vadim Abramov reapplied the 4-2-3-1 formation, which the Uzbekis adopted in the group stage but turned into 3-5-2 in their 2-1 win over Jordan in the quarterfinal, leaving major hitman Alexander Geynrikh and keeper Ignatiy Nesterov on the bench and using Ulugbek Bakaev and Maksim Shatskikh as the attacking force. While Australian boss Holger Osieck maintained the same 4-4- 2 formation and starting eleven as the last game.

The central Asian team enjoyed an obvious advantage in ball possession in the first period, bettering the Aussies with a rate of 71 percent, but created lesser chances than their opponents, who sit back and produced threats in the counter attacks.

Uzbekistan only threatened Mark Schwarzer with Shatskikh's 17th minute freekick went wide of the far post. The Australians could have made it 3-0 before the break if Carney controlled his lob shot better facing a lonely keeper Temur Juraev.

After Carney netted the third goal and Bakaev was sent off, the game became lop-sided as the Uzbekis almost collapsed mentally and tactically. Australia missed several clear chances in the second half.