Bangladesh suffer five-goal Aussie drubbing
Bangladesh were handed their baptism of fire by Australia in their 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier at Perth today.
The Socceroos drubbed Bangladesh by five goals to nil on match-day 3 of the second round of the World Cup qualifiers.
When the referee blew the final whistle, it was a huge relief for Bangladesh as they looked ragged and clueless at the face of the Australian chastening.
Whenever the Australians launched an attack, Bangladesh looked terribly nervous and consequently, were caught with their pants down more often not.
Before Bangladesh could even settle down in the game, Australia came out hard and dominated proceedings with their brand of football.
Physically stronger and technically superior, Aussie footballers ran circles around Bangladesh’s defense displaying quick and competent play with the ball.
Australia were able to score four goals without breaking much sweat within twenty minutes of the World Cup qualifier.
Leckie opened the scoring for Australia in the fifth minute and broke his scoring drought for Socceroos.
Rogic got his first goal in an Australian shirt when he stunned the visitors in the 8th minute. Australia looked to stamp their authority early after Leckie was on target.
An unlucky deflection off Barman gave Socceroos their third goal when Rogic’s effort caught the Bangladeshi defender in an awkward position.
Milligan shuttled the ball to an overlapping Davidson. Rogic utilized Davidson’s first-time cross with his swinging left peg, but needed some assistance from his opponent to see the ball past Bangladesh’s goal-keeper Alam.
The fourth goal came when Leckie forced a fine diving save from Alam to a Davidson cross, but the ball dropped at the feet of Burns who smacked it home to put his team on the driver’s seat quite easily.
In the second half, Australia kept up the tempo and tried to score, but found Bangladesh’s goalie at the peak of his game.
Alam made some fine saves to deny Socceroos a goal-fest in front of their eager fans. Without his heroics, Bangladesh would’ve been embarrassed with a double-digit score-line in a football match.
However in the 62 minute, Australia got their fifth goal of the game when Mooy turned smartly outside the penalty area and whacked a half volley past Alam into the roof of the net.
The game petered out as far as Australia were concerned, with a string of substitutes seen at the field after the game was well and truly over.
Bangladesh found the gulf of difference between themselves and a higher ranking side rudely shocking and could hardly trouble the Aussie defense today.
With his team looking mentally and physically worn out, Bangladesh coach has a tough task in his hands to pull up his players for their next encounter.
Today’s match was the first time Bangladesh and Australia met in a full international contest.
Australia who ranked fourth in Asia and 63 in the world, started the clash as red hot favourites against the 168th ranked Bangladesh.
Bangladesh are winless this year, losing two and drawing three of their five matches – including being beaten by Kyrgyzstan.
In the 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier, Bangladesh are bottom of Group B after drawing with Tajikistan and losing against Kyrgyzstan and Australia.
Bangladesh’s next match is on September 8, 2015 against Jordan. Their last match of the group will be held on November 17 against the Socceroos.
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