Wellington Phoenix 2-2 Melbourne Victory - official A-League report.

So Melbourne led 2-0 and blew it this afternoon and were ultimately lucky not to lose the game. With a myridad of chances through the first half, most of them falling to Danny Allsopp, Melbourne could have had the game done and dusted.

 There are plenty of things to be worried about but to be perfectly honest I'm not devastated that we didn't win. In the big picture the Wellington Phoenix had to give their fanbase something in their first game as an A-League franchise and more than 14 000 fans saw a draw this afternoon. On the hour mark the Phoenix had missed a penalty and were trailing 2-0, their side showed plenty to get back in the game.

Melbourne's biggest worry right now is an injury to Ljubo Milicevic that forced him from the field in the first half. Up front it's just a matter of tuning, if we create this many chances in round 6 or round 12 we'll score a hatful, no question. Some fans are rather cruelly suggesting that our new recruit Carlos Hernandez should swim home to get fit...all i can say to that is to trust in our fitness staff and not get on his back just yet, heh.

There's no cause for panic and who knows, as the season goes on maybe a point from the New Zealand trip will be a good result for the other A-League teams.

You can see the goals by going to the 'video' feature on www.foxsports.com.au

Carlos Hernandez is the attacking midfielder new to the Melbourne Victory this season. It's hard to believe Melbourne could sign a player who is in the prime years of his career and made two appearances at the 2006 World Cup with Costa Rica but then again, it's hard to believe he would sit in the Costa Rican league until now.

Here's a link to his long-range goal in a pre-season match against Perth Glory at the weekend, the game was in Darwin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXZk2pMbrhA

If he's fit and firing I can't see him avoiding exposure to europe or the MLS/Mexican league. Like all Victory fans here's hoping he is honourable to his two year contract.

Full name: Carlos Hernández Valverde

Born: April 9, 1982 in La Pastora, Costa Rica

Former clubs: Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (Costa Rica)

Nickname: "Zorro" or "el Zorro"

We must move forward, not backward, upward, not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

For those of you unfamiliar with that line, it was delivered by an alien in an episode of "The Simpsons". It's more relevant than you may think, because a foreigner is what Australia now needs in order to qualify for the world cup.

Last night's defeat to Japan on penalties will be remembered as "heartbreak" by some, and more than we deserved by others. Despite a bright opening couple of minutes Japan had the better structure and created all the better chances. Once the Aussies were down to 10 men the only option was to play for spot-kicks.

Some will argue that not winning the Asian cup at the first time of asking is a good thing as it won't upset our new hosts. However too many weaknesses have been exposed for any Australian fan to be happy about how the campaign went. A new manager is what we need Mr. Lowy, please deliver with time to prepare for our first world cup qualifier in the zone.

He may be the target of a lot of abuse from Melbourne Victory fans but there's no doubt that Australia sits in a quarter-final showdown with Japan at the Asian Cup thanks to Mark Milligan.

Milligan's textbook tackle with the Aussies holding a shaky 1-0 lead against Thailand last night saved the day after Schwarzer fumbled a long-shot into open space in the box. That moment highlighted the lift in defensive effort that earned Australia its first clean sheet of the tournament - the three goals scored in the final moments of the game just cosmetic improvement of the statistics.

The question now for Australia is what to do with Lucas Neill. Neill is having a mediocre tournament, while Beauchamp and Milligan both performed admirably last night. Japan are in hot form and the underdog tag will suit Australia, perhaps it will suit Neill as well.

Up front there are problems too, mainly because Sterjovski finds himself back in the frame without having even taken the pitch last night. Aloisi dogged it and picked up a stupid yellow card, while Brett Holman offered up the miss of the tournament. It doesn't bode well when the best alternative is to play Kewell as a floating man behind Viduka rather than a second striker.

And my excuse for not fronting up for a comment after the Iraq game? A severe hangover. Much like the rest of the football supporting population of Australia.

Actually no need, someone has already taken up the challenge.

 http://www.sackarnold.com/

Australia 1 - 1 Oman

Credit to the Omanis for creating the better chances and holding Australia out for the time they did, but Australia should have done better. So far this tournament is throwing up some unexpected results, both hosts to have played are unbeaten, and the other big teams will have to watch their guard in their respective openers.

Did Australia take Oman lightly? Hard to know, maybe the talent just isn't there when Kisnorbo is playing in the backline and Wilkshire is taking the corners. The psyche would have been interesting to read, best mate "Arnie" in the rooms probably not giving the team too hard a time about trailing at the break.

As a stand-alone result a draw with Oman is unacceptable, especially one which requires a last minute equaliser. Maybe in the context of a full tournament it can be easily forgotten. Arnie's time in the top job is up, will he turn the team's defending and performances around? I doubt it. The players have to take responsibility against Iraq. The side might look a bit different to the one that was eliminated from the 2004 Olympics but after a shaky opening nothing can be taken for granted.

Something different to the previews out there, because there are lots of them.

1. Win the thing

Obvious really.

2. Beat Iran

Tempted to put this at number one, but at the end of the day winning the cup is more important than settling this old rivarly. There will be plenty of chances in world cup qualifying to avenge 1998. Nothing will erase the hurt, but let's face it, had Australia qualified for France then the NSL would probably still be alive and none of the nation's domestic football overhaul would have happened.

How do we want to beat Iran? Nothing cruel, a straight up and down beating would be nice. No Iranians out injured or sent off,  just their best team, and our team beating them.

3. Defend

Where the hell is Spiranovic? For some reason he's been cut loose to go and do pre-season with Nurnburg. Beauchamp is a stop-gap solution, and while he's always done the right thing by the national team, he isn't the long-term answer at centre back. I'll make the call now - every goal Australia concedes at this championship will be "soft". It's just a matter of concentration and limitation.

4. Arnie back to number two

From day one I've said that if Australia is going to hit a hurdle qualifying for 2010, it's going to be in the first stage. Four teams in a group, only top spot goes on to the next stage. Maybe the AFC will change the qualifying format but at this stage there's nothing to suggest they will.

Names have been thrown around for Arnie's replacement; Van Gaal, Advocaat, Hiddink - at this stage either of the latter two would be preferable. Arnie is the players' best mate, the sort of relationship a squad should enjoy with an assistant coach - not the top man.

Sydney were eliminated from the Asian Champions League this evening after drawing 0-0 away to the Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan. It officially ends Australia's involvement in the competition, Adelaide's dead-rubber game against Dong Tam Long An of Vietnam a 3-0 win courtesy of a Travis Dodd hat-trick.

 The focus on Sydney's exit won't get a great deal of coverage, given it fell on the same night as State of Origin rugby league, but it's likely that what will be said will be sympathetic to the Bling's cause. Sydney should be disappointed that they couldn't find a way through against a Urawa team only mildly interested in winning the match, and succeeding with a safety first approach.

Sydney's best two chances of the match were poles apart in terms of quality. In the second half David Carney hit the outside of the post with a brilliant left-footed shot from outside of the area. David Zdrilic's miss in the first half was considerably less impressive. Unmarked ten yards from goal, Zdrilic headed a cross from the right flank nowhere near the goal. How heavily that miss is criticised may be swept away by the "brave" Sydney team, who stood up to an always-singing throng of Urawa fans, and seemed less than daunted by the atmosphere and occasion.

 In other A-League news, Melbourne finally signed off on a new stadium agreement today at the Olympic Park site. For now, it will be opened in 2009 with a seating capacity of 31,000 seats. The debate about "safe standing" seems set to continue, with a chance the actual capacity of the venue may be around the 35,000 mark by the time the stadium opens. And in a win for the club, an agreement was reached where blockbuster games can be moved to the Telstra Dome - although one hopes that by 2009 the A-League season will be longer than 21 home and away games (meaning today's breakdown of 7 at OP and 5 at the Dome will be irrelevant).

 And keep an eye on the Australian page at OleOle because the "revenge" friendly between Australia and Uruguay is coming soon.

Melbourne's squad is likely to undergo further changes in the coming week, with out of contract midfielder Kristian Sarkies set to leave the Victory.

 Speculation has been rife about Sarkies since version one, when most fans felt he was underplayed in the Victory's season of struggle. Sarkies started just 6 matches in the 2006/7 A-League season and failed to prove himself worthy of a spot in attacking midfield ahead of Fred.

 The end for Sarkies was almost certainly sealed when the club's management and administration failed to annoint him the successor to Fred when the Brazilian left the club for DC United. The signs were clear that Sarkies wasn't the ideal replacement, fellow young Socceroo Leigh Broxham had moved level with him in the pecking order and his being substituted on before Sarkies in the Grand Final may have been the final straw.

 Sarkies would be a quality pick up for any other A-League team, provided the coach can keep him happy with game time. He's dominating for the Olyroos, scoring again in Australia U23's 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia last night. Adelaide United appear favourites to capture his services, but interim coach Aurelio Vidmar has denied any deal has been done yet.

 As for the fans? Sarkies was a devisive force, and those who felt he wasn't ever good enough for Melbourne have lead the charge to boo him on his return to Telstra Dome.

It's been a good week for football in Australia, Sydney drawing 2-2 with Urawa Reds and Adelaide beating Dong Tam 2-0 in the Champions League. But the entire nation will take far more interest in Saturday's friendly between the national team and China.

 It won't be the strongest Australian team taking the field, far from it, but with coach Graham Arnold still considered an interim manager by the fanbase, a good performance against Asian opposition could allay some fears going into the Nations Cup in the upcoming european offseason.

Worryingly, some star Socceroos such as Mark Viduka and Lucas Neill have criticised future friendlies against Uruguay and Argentina to be played in Sydney and Melbourne respectively in June. It's ridiculous that the word "boycott" is even being used. While the club-vs-country debate is an old chestnut, the chance to play in front of 180,000 fans against two of the most decorated teams in the world sems unrefusable.

In Melbourne, the Victory have undergone some changes to their squad, with the likes of Mark Byrnes and Simon Storey leaving to pursue their careers elsewhere. Brazillian recruit Fred has also left the club, apparently on his way to DC United in America.

 And finally, the FFA have decided New Zealand will get their third crack at a franchise in Australia's national league, this time from the city of Wellington. No name or concrete player details about the team yet, and opinion is still very much divided about whether it will be third time lucky, or third strike and out for the Kiwis.

 

Australian club football tasted Asian Champions League for the first time on Wednesday night, Sydney winning away to Shanghai Shenhua, Adelaide losing at home to Shandong Luneng. I held off on this update hoping footage of Ufuk Talay's stunning strike for Sydney would appear on YouTube so it could be embedded into the article, but you can see footage of it here nonetheless.

Adelaide's problems continued against Shandong in front of goal. Playing negative football for two years is going to be hard to shake, and Aurelio Vidmar has done nothing more than the word-perfect definition of an interim manager since taking over. Adelaide appear to be a distinct third banana in group G, and having already lost a home game will have to pull off some miracle results if they want to topple Shandong and Korean side Seongnam.

Despite a nervous finish, Sydney's 2-1 win in China shows they have gone some way to overcoming the defensive legacy of recently departed manager Terry Butcher, and are a genuine chance to qualify from their group. They have Urawa Reds in Sydney as their next match, in a game that will let us know if they are for real or not. Urawa only put three goals past Persik Kediri of Indonesia, in the past double-figure scorelines were the norm for Indonesian clubs on the continent, but cruise control won't get a win against Sydney.

Back "home", a decision is still yet to be made on the New Zealand based team for the 2007/8 A-League season. It is likely that Wellington will produce the capital required to move the Knights from Auckland, but there is still some hope that the deal falls through and Townsville, Australia will pick up the slack. If the Kiwis do keep their team, everyone expects it to be an infinite improvement on what was offered in the first two A-Leauge seasons.