2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers: Tim Cahill strikes late for Australia to break UAE hearts

Substitute’s close-range finish earns hard-fought victory in second Group B game in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: After 75 minutes of Tuesday night's 2018 World Cup qualifier in Abu Dhabi, the UAE coach Mahdi Ali would have been a thoroughly contented man.His side were heading towards their fourth point from their opening two Group B games as they were drawing 0-0 with Australia after their sensational 2-1 win in Japan last Thursday.

But then, 15 minutes from time, Tim Cahill’s dramatic intervention just moments after climbing off the substitutes’ bench left Ali and his valiant Whites side devastated at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium.Cahill, Australia’s most renowned player, swept in Brad Smith’s exquisite, left-wing cross to score his 48th goal on his 92nd cap for his country.

In truth, it was no more than Australia deserved given that they dominated most of an energy-sapping encounter played in intense heat and humidity.The atmosphere was similarly feverish, underscoring the surge in optimism in the UAE about the Whites’ chances of qualifying for their second World Cup after Italia 1990. 

A giant mosaic formed with plastic sheets spelt out 'Country’s dream’ on one side of the ground with a picture of the World Cup in the middle.The UAE Football Association’s decision to provide free tickets also paid off handsomely, with white masses packing the 42,000-capacity venue.

The attendance was later announced as 40,893, 7,000 more than the crowd that witnessed the UAE play local rivals Saudi Arabia in March.The UAE made only one change from the team that stunned Japan 2-1 away in their opening Group B game last Thursday, the Al Ain left-back Walid Abbas replacing the injured Abdul Aziz Sanquor.

Australia were without the injured captain Mile Jedinak, with Matthew Spiranovic drafted in. He lined up in centre defence, with Mark Milligan returning to his trademark midfield role after lining up at the back in the 2-0 home win over Iraq last Thursday.

Milligan was also handed the honour of captaining his country, of special significance given that he plays in the UAE capital for Bani Yas.

Australia bossed dominated possession from the outset, illustrating their credentials as the reigning Asian champions and as a team ranked 57 in the Fifa world rankings, 17 places above the UAE.The tone of the match perhaps bore out the pre-match prediction of the Socceroos coach, Ange Postecoglou, that the UAE were ‘fearful’ of his side and would be content to sit back.

Indeed, Mahdi Ali’s men employed the counter-attacking tactics which yielded success in their backs-to-the-wall triumph in Saitama last Thursday.Temperatures were in the late 30s, but ‘felt like 50 degrees’ according to smartphone weather apps, necessitating regular breaks for water and ice and meaning free-flowing football was at a premium.

The architect of all the Whites’ best moves was, as ever, their ingenious playmaker, Omar Abdul Rahman.Two sumptuous, perfectly weighted passes from the Al Ain man put Ali Mabkhout and Esmail Al Hammadi in on goal early on. 

But Mabkhout stumbled under Trent Sainsbury’s last-ditch lunge in the penalty area, while the Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan tipped over Al Hammadi’s vicious, angled drive.At the other end, the UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eissa – who made a string of superb saves against Japan – had to be alert to deny Trent Sainsbury’s header and Robbie Kruse.

The home side’s occasionally shaky defence was also tested by a series of corners from Aaron Mooy, one of which Eissa had to palm over the crossbar.Ali was also forced into an early change in his rearguard when Mohammad Ahmad had to be replaced by Al Ahli’s Abdul Aziz Haikal in the 24th minute due to injury.

Australia passed and probed relentlessly and patiently, but the UAE’s ability to strike quickly on the break was a source of occasional discomfort for the Socceroos.On one such occasion, Smith just managed to pass the ball back to Ryan while threatened by the lively Al Hammadi.

But the visitors always looked the more likely to break the deadlock, Eissa thwarting Tom Rogic’s deflected effort in first-half injury time, while Mohammad Esmail headed over Mooy’s curling free-kick.The UAE started the second half with greater energy and purpose than they had ended the first, with Al Hammadi particularly prominent on the left wing with his pace and trickery.

Ali Mabkhout should have done better than volley the Al Ahli winger’s teasing cross high over the Ryan’s goal on the hour mark, prior to which Mooy crashed Smith’s deflected cross against the crossbar.The UAE were then dealt a grievous blow when their two-goal hero against Japan, Ahmad Khalil, limped off to be replaced by Mohammad Abdul Rahman.

But 20 minutes before the end, Postecoglou's own decision to substitute the ineffectual Tomi Juric for Cahill proved to be decisive.The 36-year-old celebrated wildly in front of the several hundred Socceroos fans with his trademark flurry of punches to the corner flag.

It proved to be a knockout blow for the UAE, who must pick themselves up from the canvas for another home game against Thailand on October 6.