Forum Phoenix
Well-Known Member
Mustapha Amini...
Sing he's a mariner!
EXCLUSIVE: Playmaker Mustafa Amini starred as the Young Socceroos stormed into next year’s U20 World Cup defeating UAE 4-2 in last night’s AFC U19 quarter-finals in China.
Despite going down to ten men late in the game and after UAE fought back to 2-2 at the end of regulation time to force the match into extra time, goals from Adelaide’s Mathew Leckie and Sunderland’s Matthew Fletcher sealed the win, even after Dylan McGowan's dismissal for a second yellow.
The win books Australia's place in the semi-finals of the U19 Asian Cup with the title of Asian Champions now within reach for this hugely talented side.
However, Australia may have to do it without talented attacker Tommy Oar who is under pressure from his Dutch club to return.
Alistair Edwards, assistant coach to Jan Versleijen, was full of praise for Amini and the side as he offered us his thoughts on this exciting night.
“It was one of the most exciting games I have been involved in, it had everything, great goals, great players, it ebbed and flowed, we were on top in stages but there were spells when UAE played some brilliant football, particularly in tight areas around the box,” he told au.fourfourtwo.com.
“Mustifa Amini played his best game for Australia tonight, scored an absolutely stunning goal and then dug deep in injury time to produce a 40 metre dribbling exhibition to set up the through pass to Tommy Oar who then played an inch perfect cross to the on-rushing Fletcher.
“Kerem Bulut did an amazing amount of work upfront and was a constant menace for their central defenders. We put Fletcher on as the game needed a player who could hold the ball up and bring others into the game … Fletcher is class at that.
“We showed tremendous character to come back from the disappointment of conceding a late goal to absolutely dominate extra time. This stage of the game was the best passage of controlled football we had showed in the whole tournament.
"UAE just could not get near the ball and ended up relying on quick balls forward whenever they managed to get possession.
“Kantarovski has been our best and most consistent player in the four games so far, his organizational skills and ability to win the ball and then control the play in midfield has been a joy to watch.
“The set piece delivery and all round play from left back Marc Warren has been tremendous, his form has kept another quality left back Jason Davidson on the bench. It’s great to have such competition for places in the starting XI.
“We now will try and get Tommy Oar to stay for the whole tournament as his club in Holland has at this stage only agreed to let him play up until the quarter finals.
“He is desperate to stay so there will be some late night phone calls."
Edwards added: “Mathew Leckie has continued his A League form into this tournament/
"Both he and Tommy are such important players for us as they are the X factor players, they can ghost past players with ease. Most teams here are trying desperately to double play them but they are still finding their way past them to deliver quality crosses.
“We have had a focus of winning this tournament so although everyone was ecstatic to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, we have two games to go to accomplish what our ultimate goal is, that being champions of Asia
“The call before the game amongst the boys was ‘three games to go’ and this is the type of approach and mentality we have amongst this group.
“There is such depth in this squad, in every game so far the ‘non starting players’ have come on and been excellent, they have added that little bit extra and often changed the game.”
Sing he's a mariner!
EXCLUSIVE: Playmaker Mustafa Amini starred as the Young Socceroos stormed into next year’s U20 World Cup defeating UAE 4-2 in last night’s AFC U19 quarter-finals in China.
Despite going down to ten men late in the game and after UAE fought back to 2-2 at the end of regulation time to force the match into extra time, goals from Adelaide’s Mathew Leckie and Sunderland’s Matthew Fletcher sealed the win, even after Dylan McGowan's dismissal for a second yellow.
The win books Australia's place in the semi-finals of the U19 Asian Cup with the title of Asian Champions now within reach for this hugely talented side.
However, Australia may have to do it without talented attacker Tommy Oar who is under pressure from his Dutch club to return.
Alistair Edwards, assistant coach to Jan Versleijen, was full of praise for Amini and the side as he offered us his thoughts on this exciting night.
“It was one of the most exciting games I have been involved in, it had everything, great goals, great players, it ebbed and flowed, we were on top in stages but there were spells when UAE played some brilliant football, particularly in tight areas around the box,” he told au.fourfourtwo.com.
“Mustifa Amini played his best game for Australia tonight, scored an absolutely stunning goal and then dug deep in injury time to produce a 40 metre dribbling exhibition to set up the through pass to Tommy Oar who then played an inch perfect cross to the on-rushing Fletcher.
“Kerem Bulut did an amazing amount of work upfront and was a constant menace for their central defenders. We put Fletcher on as the game needed a player who could hold the ball up and bring others into the game … Fletcher is class at that.
“We showed tremendous character to come back from the disappointment of conceding a late goal to absolutely dominate extra time. This stage of the game was the best passage of controlled football we had showed in the whole tournament.
"UAE just could not get near the ball and ended up relying on quick balls forward whenever they managed to get possession.
“Kantarovski has been our best and most consistent player in the four games so far, his organizational skills and ability to win the ball and then control the play in midfield has been a joy to watch.
“The set piece delivery and all round play from left back Marc Warren has been tremendous, his form has kept another quality left back Jason Davidson on the bench. It’s great to have such competition for places in the starting XI.
“We now will try and get Tommy Oar to stay for the whole tournament as his club in Holland has at this stage only agreed to let him play up until the quarter finals.
“He is desperate to stay so there will be some late night phone calls."
Edwards added: “Mathew Leckie has continued his A League form into this tournament/
"Both he and Tommy are such important players for us as they are the X factor players, they can ghost past players with ease. Most teams here are trying desperately to double play them but they are still finding their way past them to deliver quality crosses.
“We have had a focus of winning this tournament so although everyone was ecstatic to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, we have two games to go to accomplish what our ultimate goal is, that being champions of Asia
“The call before the game amongst the boys was ‘three games to go’ and this is the type of approach and mentality we have amongst this group.
“There is such depth in this squad, in every game so far the ‘non starting players’ have come on and been excellent, they have added that little bit extra and often changed the game.”
