jason culina

Leckie's low drive from 20 metres in the 93rd minute saved Adelaide's blushes after dominating for most of the match but trailing to a 64th-minute goal from Gold Coast midfielder Steve Fitzsimmons before a crowd of 9,578. Fitzsimmons' powerful header looked to have sent Gold Coast back to the top of the table after defender Kristian Rees was controversially sent off after he was adjudged to have brought down a goalbound Leckie in the the 33rd minute. Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar bit the selection bul

We started slow. We re-grouped at half time, defended well and broke well   -Jason Culina

 

"Along with Jason Culina, he (Burns) is one of the special midfielders of the A-League and it's a good test to see where I am at," Musialik said before boarding a plane for Perth yesterday. "He's one of the guys who came back to Australia and did well overseas. I have been in a couple of (Socceroo) camps with him but never played against him before." Musialik also knows that Burns, apart from his work ethic, has a reputation for his tough tackling.

Every team has a special style and we know that Perth play physically very well and aggressively but I think we are ready for what they will throw at us   -Vitezslav Lavicka

 

THE Socceroos are set to see in the New Year far from family and friends as coach Pim Verbeek takes them into camp in Dubai. With Australia's important Asian Cup qualifier in Kuwait City on January 6 falling on a non-FIFA match date, the squad is likely to comprise mostly A-League players and a handful based overseas. Verbeek is believed to be keen for an extended camp to give the unfamiliar-looking squad as much time as possible to gel with 10 days of preparation in the heat of the Middle East. The s

It is a mutual agreement between Ricki and I   -Terry Serepisos

 

Data compiled exclusively for The Daily Telegraph by Castrol Rankings analysts reveals the extent to which Australia have based their strategy on being almost impossible to breach. As well as conceding just one goal in eight games (in the third round of Asian World Cup qualifying), the Socceroos allowed their opponents just 16 shots on target throughout - an average of just two per game. One of those was the only effort to get past Schwarzer, Japan's goal by Marcos Tulio Tanaka in Melbourne in June co  

But that didn't bother Gold Coast United goal machine Shane Smeltz, as New Zealand ended a 27-year hoodoo to join Australia at next year's World Cup finals.  

The Sky Blues have their noses in front at the halfway mark.  

The Sky Blues have their noses in front at the halfway mark.  

Oman's key midfielder, enforcer Ahmed Mubarak, is out of Saturday night's Asian Cup qualifier against Australia, but Socceroos boss Pim Verbeek has the luxury of a clean bill of health.  

OMAN'S key midfield enforcer Ahmed Mubarak has been forced out of Saturday night's Asian Cup qualifier against Australia, but Socceroos boss Pim Verbeek has the luxury of a clean bill of health.