The Socceroos drew 1-1 with Brazil in Townsville on Friday night, with Australia conceding a goal in the final play of the match. Despite the result, the team views the performance positively and is preparing for a rematch in Brisbane on Tuesday at Lang Park.
Defender Aziz Behich, the A-League’s only representative in Australia’s 26-man squad, acknowledged the team’s disappointment with leaving points on the table. “We’ve set the bar high for ourselves … it was good, but we need to be better,” the 35-year-old said, according to the report.
Behich played his first match since the World Cup on Friday and credited the team’s tactical approach. “How brave we were on the ball … we trusted each other and took the game on. When you do that against an opponent like that, you earn their respect and we need to do that again,” he said.
Despite being in preseason mode with Melbourne City, Behich displayed his trademark pace and work rate. The veteran, who made his 88th national appearance in Townsville, expressed confidence about his ongoing role with the national team ahead of the Asian Cup in January. “I wouldn’t call it hanging on … I’m still playing at a high level … it’s exciting times. I feel great,” he said.
Coach Tony Popovic emphasized the challenge of backing up the performance on short notice. “We don’t have players playing regular Champions League, or in the top leagues, 60 games a year,” Popovic said. “It’s a great test.”
The Brisbane fixture marks a homecoming for 19-year-old defender Lucas Herrington, who last played for Brisbane Roar in January before moving to Hull in the Premier League via Colorado in the MLS. Popovic noted that Herrington faces the challenge of maintaining his level against elite opposition with minimal recovery time between matches.
Key facts
- Australia drew 1-1 with Brazil in Townsville on Friday, conceding in the final play
- The teams meet again in Brisbane on Tuesday at Lang Park
- Aziz Behich made his first appearance since the World Cup despite being in preseason with Melbourne City
- Coach Tony Popovic highlighted the difficulty of backing up performances with limited recovery time
- 19-year-old Lucas Herrington is making a homecoming appearance after moving from Colorado to Hull in the Premier League