Australia took a massive step towards reaching the next qualifying phase of the 2022 FIFA World Cup by beating unlucky Jordan 1-0 in Amman.
Make no mistake, it was an important victory against one of Australia’s bogey teams in Asia.
A superb move manufactured by Jackson Irvine and finished off by Adam Taggart in the first half was enough to give the Australians a five-point lead over Jordan and Kuwait at the top of the group at its halfway stage.
It was however the only real high point in a match that again showed the technical limitations of the current Socceroos side.
The Australians dominated possession in the first half but created only one scoring chance which they converted.
Tom Rogic had several fine touches but his numbers of high class generally produced nothing tangible, while winger Awer Mabil was a poor substitute for Mathew Leckie, working hard but ruining promising attacks by misplacing his crosses.
In the second half the Jordanians lifted their game thanks to a couple of inspired substitutions and had the Socceroos on the ropes for long periods as the visitors’ midfield became disjointed and ultimately fell apart.
The home team piled on the pressure and had enough chances to win the game but failed to do so due to poor finishing and an acrobatic diving save from captain Mat Ryan to stop a firm header from Hamza al-Dardour, although a 'goal' would have been chalked off for offside.
At one stage visions of a third successive home win for Jordan against Australia were becoming more realistic.
Victory certainly flattered the sloppy Socceroos because the Jordanians no doubt deserved at least a draw.
Another worrying aspect of the Socceroos’ dismal performance was the central defence partnership of Trent Sainsbury and Milos Degenek.
The two defenders who played some of their junior football together are mentally as tough as can be and their level of understanding is obvious but their performances on an individual basis have dropped.
They have become rather erratic especially in the timing of their interventions on the ground and in the air.
Thankfully Jordan did not take full advantage of their slackness.
Sainsbury is not the same player he was when he burst onto the international scene with such success during the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
Perhaps his many club moves in the last few years and his injuries may have had an unsettling effect on his overall game. His latest club Maccabi Haifa should however give him the stability he craves.
Arnold must be hoping that the Sainsbury-Degenek rock on which he has built his defence will improve as this qualification process gets more serious and undoubtedly more demanding next year.
The same applies for the whole team.
Winning for the first time in such a difficult place as Jordan was tremendous but the team must improve if they have aspirations of making the World Cup in Qatar.
Arnold reckons the team is playing at only 30 to 40 per cent of its potential.
Socceroos fans must be hoping he’s dead right because on the basis of some recent performances many might fear that what they see now from this side is more like 60 to 80 per cent of its capacity.
If the truth be told, this is no great Socceroos team.
