Socceroos v Mexico reaction: What changed in 2nd half

PASADENA, CA – It sounds cliche, but it truly was a game of two halves for the Socceroos against Mexico at the Rose Bowl on Sunday morning AEST.

In the opening stanza, Australia had just 25% of the ball.

After the half-time break, they turned that statistic upside down, controlling 59% of possession in a much improved showing.

Speaking to reporters after the match, several of the team’s biggest names attempted to put their finger on where things went wrong in the first half.

“Yeah, we’ve learned a lot from that first half,” said midfielder Aidan O’Neill.

“I think there’s maybe a few boys that haven’t played an atmosphere like that before. So, yeah, it’s all learning.”

On what improved in the second half, he added: “It was a bit of an understanding of the game, us being a bit braver, being a bit more free, playing carefree, willing to maybe make a mistake… if the pass is played right or the control is done right, you get the opportunity to go ahead. 

“I think maybe it was a lack of self-confidence in the first half, but I think it’s something that we work on, and these games are meant for that. So, hopefully the next games we continue from the second half.

“I think the second half we were outstanding. I think first half they were better. The second half, I think there’s no doubt we were the superior team, we played great football as well, offensively and defensively. 

“I can’t actually remember a chance they had on goal and the chances we had speak for themselves as well.”

After his first appearance for the national team in 18 months, Souttar reflected on the side’s performance.

“Yeah, the first, the first kind of half an hour, I just don’t think we got the press right,” he pinpointed.

“And then we kind of switched it after the drinks break, kind of sorted a few things, and just kind of man for man, really pushing Lucas in as another midfielder and kind of nullified them.

“They just started going longer then we picked up the pieces, and then allowed us to play in their half.

“… Our service to the front lads wasn’t great, a few more longer balls, but second half and towards end of the first half, when it did stick up there, and the 10s started getting on the ball, then we could push up a little bit more, and we can keep the ball in their half and try and create some chances.

“I think the kind of proof is in the second half performance, you know, we can’t take away from that, and then what is there.

“Jacko (Irvine) said it as soon as we came to the dressing room there, that that’s what we’ve got to be, starting from the first whistle. We can just take that forward.”

Captain Maty Ryan suggested his side turned the ball over too easily in the first half.

“I mean, first and foremost football at the highest level, it’s not easy,” he explained.

“You’ve got two teams trying to take it to each other, and you face many challenges. And the first half, we probably didn’t keep the ball well enough, too many cheap turnovers.

“In saying that, they’ve got a lot of quality, and you know they’re a good team, and they were, asking us plenty of questions, but I think we were quite resolute, and we were defending quite well. 

“They had one or two occasions there in the goal… unfortunately from a set piece is what obviously makes a difference at the end of the day.

“I think any, any form of success, a big part of it as well is managing adversity and the challenges,  not obviously then tucking our towel between our legs and digging our heels in and trying to obviously respond and you know, find the solutions to get ourselves back in the game, and I think I think we did that, even with the chance at the end of the first half there.

He added: “I think just second half, we, we went out there and obviously fixed a few things tactically in what we wanted to do in pressing, and then you know, with the ball as well, we had probably a little bit more of a clear idea, and we’re actually executing it, then better the game plan.

“Guys being more confident on the ball, and finding the solutions that we wanted, and and yeah, causing them a few more, a few more issues, but unfortunately we couldn’t get back in the game with another goal.”