Live Match Update - Singapore v Australia
The Socceroos take on Singapore tonight (kick-off at 10.00pm AEDT) in a vital preparation game for Wednesday’s 2010 World Cup qualifier against China. Don’t miss all the action, right here on www.footballaustralia.com.au from 9.45pm, with our live text commentary of the match.
Full time 0-0
90' Burns tries to play in Ryan Griffiths in the penalty area, but just a touch too heavy.
90' Topor Stanley does well to clear away what could have been a late goal for Singapore.
86' Bennett tries a shot from distance for Singapore, but sails wide of the near post.
82' Broxham caught out and Covic forced to make a good stop to deny Singapore the opening goal.
80' Aust sub - Bridge off - Ryan Griffiths on
79' Singapore get a free kick wide on the left, Covic, who is now the third captain on the night for Australia, takes comfortably.
77' Broxham good positive run, cross to the near post to just cleared by Singapore defence ahead of lurking Djite.
Play has become a little stale at the moment, with a host of substitutions not helping the rhythm of the game, although the heavy pitch also has a lot to do with it.
71' corner is held by Lewis who goes down hurt.
71' Aust sub - Jade North off - Leigh Broxham on (9th debutant)
70' Topor Stanley tries a shot from 35 metres, which keeper turns away for a corner.
68' Singapore attack down the right, but ball into box goes harmlessly across face of goal.
63' Aust sub - Michael Beauchamp off - Adrian Leijer on (8th debutant for Australia)
62' Bridge plays a ball just a fraction behind a free Burns and he is unable to control and chance goes begging.
60' Bridge a little reverse pass for Djite; initially stumbles but manages to keep ball and rounds Lewis, but Lewis recovers to block Djite's shot at goal.
57' Burns and Djite try a one-two, ball just too heavy for Burns.
55' Topor-Stanley makes a nice run down the left, one-two with Burns, but cross unfortuantely is poor.
53' Noh Rahman has a very long range shot, which sails over the bar, but not by much.
53' Singapore win a corner but cleared away
It's a very young and inexoerienced Aussie team out there now, with Djite the 7th debutant for Australia.
47' Singapore with first chance of second half, but long range effort is wide and high.
Australia get the second half underway.
Australia subs - Thompson and Kewell off - Nathan Burns and Bruce Djite on.
Half time - 0-0
46'+ Australia have a corner... Topor Stanley's header is cleared away.
43' Troisi looks like he is fouled in the box after some neat passing by Australia, but no appeals from Australian players as Singapore break forward.
39' Forceful run by Adam Griffiths, but the ball gets stuck under his feet and he can't find a free Troisi on the left.
38' Chipped ball into the box to Duric and his shot is partly blocked and easy for Covic to save.
35' Poor clearance allows Singapore to get ball into Duric, whose shot goes into the side-netting.
31' Thompson tries to put Kewell through, but a desperate tackle from Daniel Bennett denies Kewell the opportunity to go one-on-one with keeper.
28' from throw-in ball played into area and Bridge gets a shot at goal which hits the top of the crossbar.
28' Troisi tries a shot from 20 metres forces a good save by keeper... good strike by young midfielder.
27' Indra good play for Singapore, but cross cleared by North.
Australia looking quite composed on the ball and trying to play it tight.
22' Australia on counter... Kewell tries to play in Thompson, but ball just a bit too heavy.
20' Bridge wins a corner with persistence... Kewell's corner is eventually cleared away.
18' Singapore on attack and shot into side-netting.
11' Troisi is proven lively on the left and twice puts in two terrific crosses the second of which beats everybody and goes across the face.
9' Mile Jedinak its a powerful low shot that beats the ball, but not the Singapore keeper, who makes a veru good save.
9' Thompson fouled right on the edge of the area after good build up work from James Holland.
The pitch is very slippery and quite rough, especially in the areas where the players warmed up, where it looks quite cut up.
2' Australia's first attack and Bridge releases Thompson; his cross across the face and out for a goal kick.
1' Singapore get forward on the right, cross skids across surface, but ball balloons to Covic.
Singapore get us underway.
The teams are arriving onto the pitch and will line-up for the national anthems. It's damp and its looks like the national anthems are not going to be played as the players do the traditional handshake and photo shoot.
After a hot and sticky day, the weather has turned into a monsoonal downpour an hour before kick-off, although the pitch looks to have recovered.
Team News
Socceroos starting side is: Ante Covic (gk); Jade North, Adam Griffiths, Michael Beauchamp, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Mile Jedinak, James Troisi, Harry Kewell (c), James Holland, Archie Thompson, Mark Bridge
Senior international debuts for Adam Griffiths (whose joins his brothers Joel and Ryan as a senior internationals), Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Mile Jedinak, James Troisi, James Holland and Mark Bridge. This is most debuts in one game since Australia took on Indonesia in 1990 when 8 players made their debut. With Verbeek expected to use his full compliment of six substitutes in the match, that number is expected to be surpassed with only two other players on the bench (Nathan Burns and Ryan Griffiths) having played for the national team previously.
Singapore News
Former Aussie striker and now naturalised Singaporean Alex Duric is in the Singapore team to face his former country. There is only three changes from the team that played against Australia a little under a year ago prior to the Asian Cup.