DOHA – An impressive Australia crushed India 4-0 to get their Asian Cup campaign off to a decisive start Monday with red-hot Everton star Tim Cahill collecting two goals. Played at an Al-Sadd Stadium packed with noisy expatriate Indians, a convincing win was needed by the Socceroos to demonstrate their tournament credentials against a team ranked 142 in the world.
They comfortably delivered with the dangerous Cahill, playing up front as the lone striker, a constant threat. He got the opener in the 11th minute before former Liverpool man Harry Kewell made it 2-0 14 minutes later. Brett Holman added a third on the stroke of half-time before Cahill completed the demolition in the second period.
Rank outsiders India, in the tournament for the first time in 27 years, were out of their depth but got a look at goal when captain Climax Lawrence’s shot from 25 yards drifted well wide of the post soon after.
Meanwhile, Iran and holders Iraq clash on Tuesday in one of the biggest ties of the Asian Cup group stage, with both coaches admitting the match between the arch rivals and neighbours has extra significance.
“It’s maybe the toughest of all the opening matches. It’s a derby so we know that it’s very important,” said Iraq’s experienced German coach Wolfgang Sidka, who has only been in the job since the summer.
The pressure is also on Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi to deliver the goods and revive the glory days of the 1960s and 1970s. They have not won the Asian Cup since 1976.
“Football brings people together. The Iran-Iraq match is an opportunity for the Iran and Iraq people to mend hearts and be neighbours and friends,” said Ghotbi. Ghotbi pleaded with people in Qatar to fill stadiums at the Asian Cup, saying the “world is watching” after the tiny country won the right to host the World Cup in 2022. “The world is watching Qatar to see if they are capable of hosting the World Cup,” he said.
“I think it’s important the seats in the stadiums are full and I encourage people to come to the stadiums and cheer for football, not just Qatar.”
