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THE Olyroos were ahead of their Group A match against their crucial opposition - Serbia, in the opening match of the men's football at the Beijing Olympic Games.

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by Cindy Tran

FORMER Liverpool star, Harry Kewell has claimed to sign a three years contract with the Turkish club Galatasaray.

Kewell has now chosen to head over to Turkey after Galatasary confirmed the signing on the club's official website. The club are understood to have offered Kewell a $3 million a year salary.

He has also been forced to write an open letter to Leeds United fans who are unhappy with his decision to join Turkish champions Galatasaray.

Though Kewell was mentioned to be named for the Olyroos squad to compete in the Beijing Olympics, it may now be in jeopardy depending on the demands from the Turkish club.

This was how Galatasaray broke the news...

Harry Kewell for Turkey

Cindy Tran ©

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by Cindy Tran

Australia were drawn into Group A of the qualifying groups tonight. Pim Verbeek's side will be facing Japan, Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Qatar in the final stages of the World Cup qualifying for South Africa 2010.

Verbeek's squad will compete against the Japanese in the final qualifier. The game will be held in Australia next year in June, the same side they defeated in their opening game at the 2006 World Cup and Japan's revenge at last year's Asian Cup.

Australia require to finish in the top two of their group to guarantee an automatic entry to the South Africa in 2010.

Group B consists of South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and United Arab Emirates.

The next qualifying match will be on September 10 against Uzbekistan in Tashkent. The Uzbeks won every game in their first round of qualifying but lost in one.

Japan lost just only one match in their group 2 whilst Bahrain was second in the group.

Australia will have their rematch games against both Qatar and Bahrain, have beaten both teams twice in the recent qualifying matches.

"All teams are difficult, we know that. I think we have a very interesting group. We have to work hard, really hard to achieve the final round. All the players know that now after all the experience of the past two years."* Verbeek said after the draw.

Australia's fixtures are as follows:
10 September 2008, Uzbekistan v Australia
15 October 2008, Australia v Qatar
19 November 2008, Bahrain v Australia
11 February 2009, Japan v Australia
1 April 2009, Australia v Uzbekistan
6 June 2009, Qatar v Australia
10 June 2009, Australia v Bahrain
17 June 2009, Australia v Japan.

Cindy Tran ©

* Quote from Pim Believes Home Finale Crucial

* Pictures from Getty Images

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I can already picture 2005 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay happening all over again. Oh dear. I can't wait to attend that match next year. It's going to be another super June. A match against Italy in either June or November next year too. This match against Japan will be a SELL OUT! It's going to be HUGE. I'm already excited! 

The draw was a satisfactory result. It's not really a group of death for the Socceroos, but it's not going to be easy, it's going to be tough and as I've said before... In football, ANYTHING could happen. Every game is a challenge and this will indeed be a very nerve racking match.  

The boys have demonstrated that they could get through Qatar and Bahrain from their previous matches. Hopefully we could do it again. Japan is a huge threat and an extra intimidation to the competition. 

Fingers crossed that the match will be held in Sydney against Japan. The football sensation from 05 is coming back :)

More to follow up later...

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I am sick of the randoms who are constantly arguing that football in Australia SUCKS. 

Before the miraculous year of 2006, the first and last time we were at the World Cup was 1974. Australian Football were in a drought for 32 years straight...

On November 16 2005, the second leg of the qualifying series, it was Guus Hiddink who made our dreams come true. Mark Bresciano scored in the first half leaving Australia in front of Uruguay 1-0. The aggregate was tied, therefore extra time was played. Neither team scored after two periods of extra time, bringing the game to a penalty shootout.

Australia won the penalty shootout 4-2, making Australia the only team to ever qualify for a World Cup through a penalty shootout. It was our tremedous goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer who made two crucial saves and John Aloisi scoring the winning penalty.

I must say, it was the best night EVER! Watching our boys kick those amazing goals past the keeper just gave me shivers up my spine and goosebumps on my arms and legs. I purchased Australia verses Uruguay qualifying match and the Australia + World Cup 2006 on DVD. It's an experience where you relive the moment again. You get this amazing feeling everytime you watch it. It makes you all hyped up, jumpy and cheering. I'm not sure if it has ever happened to anyone else who felt the same way about their team, but that's how I feel.

During the 2006 World Cup, if you flicked through any newspapers, especially the Daily Telegraph or Sydney Morning Herald... The Socceroos. Were. Everywhere. They were the cover news headlines on every front page.

If you're an Australia football fan, I'm pretty sure you will agree on what I'm going to say next. 

Since when have the boys ever made our lives easy?

The penalties against Uruguay in the World Cup qualifers

3 goals in the last 9 minutes against Japan during the 2006 World Cup

An equaliser against Croatia with just only 10 minutes to full-time

An equaliser by Cahill at 90min+1 against Oman during the 2007 Asian Cup

4 goals against Thailand during the 2007 Asian Cup

The Socceroos were constantly leaving us hanging off our couches and screaming for mercy!

I still remember the final game we played during the 2006 World Cup. Australia verses Italy. The boys gave an incredible performance to the very end. I was kicking myself when we lost in the dying minutes. It was a challenging game. I guess it was the worse thing that had happened to me during that year. I was crying over a week and never got over it after a few months. Some blame the bad ref call and others are blaming that "Stupid Italian guy who made a dive and should win an Oscar award for it!"

The Asian Cup 2007 was the most horrendous thing I ever witnessed. It was down to the final game against Thailand where we needed 3+ goals to progress into the quarter finals. Everyone had doubts because of the poor performance by the boys due to the heat and Graham Arnold's unorganised coaching! The boys had to score 3+ goals or else we would be knocked out and be humiliated by the Asian countries.

Australia lost against Japan in the 2007 Asian Cup quarter finals. It was down to the penalty shootout. Japan deserved that win. At least we lost to Japan. I respect them and the way they play. I knew Asia was tough after the Oman match. I remember Graham Arnold telling the media before the cup that it would be easy to win the whole tournament... It would be like flying colours. Yeah right. 

A-League was introduced in 2005. It isn't the best football we've seen compared to the English Premier League, but it's a great start to football in Australia. Many kids are taking up football nowadays and are admiring their football icons. I reckon ever since the 2006 World Cup, more kids have consider taking up football. It is decreasing obesity and avoiding them to sit in front of the TV and/or computers.

Football is still growing in Australia. Some of the A-League players are reassigning to the overseas club every year, which is a great development and improvement into their career paths. Australian football can only grow stronger as a team and learn from the mistakes made. More and more players are recognised and are getting offers all over the place. Football is a new beginning in our sporting culture and will extend well in the next generation or so!

Hence, stop blabbing on that we suck and give Australia a chance to be part of the football sensation.

Cindy Tran ©

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by Cindy Tran

AUSTRALIA are a step closer to the 2010 World Cup, after Pim Verbeek's 4-2-3-1 formation achieved a 3-1 victory over Qatar at Al Sadd Stadium.

The Blackburn Rovers' midfielder, Brett Emerton, striked a goal at 17th minute, leaving Australia ahead of the match. Emerton arrived at the far post, sealing a goal after Mark Bresciano's low cross from the left but was missed by Harry Kewell.

An equaliser almost took part by Sebastian Quintana in the 38th minute.

Emerton kicked in his second goal at 55th minute after Schwarzer's long punt upfield was flicked on by Kewell to Brett Holman. Holman kicked a spectacular pass to Emerton. Emerton took one touch to keep the ball under control before slotting it past Qataris's keeper.

Kewell scored the third goal at 75th minute, after Holman's cross from the left byline was missed by the home defence but Kewell managed to take control of the ball and kicked it past the keeper.

Magid Mohamad raced into the box to attempt a shot but was blocked by Schwazer. Ibrahim managed to kick in a goal at 89th minute.

Schwarzer will miss out on Sunday's final qualifying match against China after being yellow carded in the late stages of the win over Qatar for removing some rubbish off the pitch. It was his second warning of the game and was automatically triggered a one-game ban.

"That was a strange one. I'd asked the referee if I could remove a plastic bag from the field. He allowed me to do so and then when I came back and put the ball on the spot, he decided to give me a yellow card. I don't know, as I said, a strange one. I'm really disappointed because I really wanted to play against China on Sunday." *

The keeper will have to wait until qualifying resumes later this year for his next competitive international and he's far from happy.

Australia are up against China this Sunday for the final qualifying match.

Cindy Tran ©

* Quote from Schwarzer Gutted Over Ban

* Pictures from Getty Images

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by Cindy Tran

SOCCEROOS skipper, Harry Kewell has added another three precious points for Australia tonight against the rivalry clash, defeating Iraq 1-0 in the World Cup qualifying match.

Brett Emerton made an incredible cross which escorted Kewell's home header into the Iraqi's net at 47th minute.

Iraq opened up more superior and had the best chances in the first half, but failed all three of the golden opportunties to score and was silencing almost 50, 000 fans at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

The Socceroos now have seven points in their Asian Group A and if another win against Iraq in Dubai next week, Australia will definitely seal a top two spot and succession to the final round of qualifying.

Marco Bresciano and Kewell came close to scoring in the first 20 minutes but was knocked away by Noor Sabri Abbas in the Iraqi goal. Kewell's chance came back when David Carney delivered a precise cross but was headed out to safety by Abbas again.

Luke Wilkshire's exceptional pass to Kewell could have sealed the game on 65 minutes, but the skipper made a wide kick.

Pim Verbeek believes that the Socceroos were lucky enough to escape with a 1-0 win over Iraq. Verbeek mentioned afterwards that he had breathed a sigh of relief.

"Four games and no goals against, but today it was not what we deserved. I think everybody understands that I am very happy with the three points, but we started quite nervous. I am happy with the three points, but not the performance," Verbeek said. *

Mark Schwarzer made several crucial saves for Australia. "I speak about organisational mistakes, we have to work on that. I think Mark, that's why he's the goalkeeper, I said thanks to him and he said 'yeah, but that's my job', He's a good professional but he did a great job, he was always there. Great performance from Mark again," he said. * 

Kewell made his department for Bruce Djite in the last 15 minutes which left Australia in a defensive mode. Hawar Mulla Mohammad came close with an equaliser, but Schwarzer did a tremendous job with an outstanding save.

Cindy Tran ©

* Quotes from Verbeek: We Rode Our Luck
June 1st 2008, 21:03

* Pictures from Getty Images

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by Cindy Tran                   
at Sydney Football Stadium

PIM Verbeek can certainly add another tremendous achievement to his coaching career, after last night's friendly clash as his team defeated Ghana 1-0 at Sydney Football Stadium in front of almost 30, 000 fans.

With only 48 seconds into the second-half, Mile Sterjovski's goal was enough to secure a win that night.

Although the game started as patchy and inconsistent, Verbeek has led the team to another victory over Ghana who are ranked 14th in the world. With Verbeek coaching the team through four games so far, there's been two wins and no loses.

Sterjovski had a late send off after receiving the second yellow card. He lunged Afful Harrison in the ankles during 30 minutes into first half; and for a silly shirt tug during second half.

Socceroos captain, Harry Kewell was impressed by the performance and the hard work put in by his team mates.

"It was an interesting game," Kewell said. "It wasn't pretty. You can plan a lot of things and that, but we grinded it out. It shows the determination of the young squad we've got here. It was the first time we've played together, so again it obviously showed, but when you don't go well you stick to your plan, pick up your man and work hard." *

Ghanaian players felt embarrassed and unwelcomed after a stadium announcer confirmed that their national anthem was misplaced but was rapidly played after half time.

Ghana came close with an equaliser when substitute Deick Asamoah's cross flew passed Schwarzer's goal, and were looking most likely to score back with the numerous corners given.

Cindy Tran ©

* Quote from the Daily Telegraph Newspaper
www.dailytelegraph.com.au
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Page 39

* Pictures from Getty Images

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