Australia 1 - 0 Bahrain
Mile Jedinak’s first-half goal against Bahrain at Al Sadd Stadium on January 18th was enough to send the Socceroos through to the quarter-finals of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. The midfielder notched his second goal in as many games to ensure that Australia qualify as winners of Group C and go through to the last eight unbeaten following two wins and a draw.
Australia, needing just a point to qualify, attacked from the outset; Brett Emerton dragged a shot wide after just two minutes before Tim Cahill failed to hit the target from outside the area. Bahrain remained relatively quiet in an attacking sense until just before the half-hour mark; Ismaeel Abdulatif had a shot blocked by Mark Schwarzer at the near post.
It was an entertaining first half, played by two sides who were pushing for victory but it was Mile Jedinak who broke the deadlock for Australia, firing a fine dipping shot into the back of the net from outside the area.
Just five minutes into the second half, Ismaeel Abdulatif, full of confidence after his four-goal haul against India in Bahrain’s previous group game, forced Mark Schwarzer into a fine save after he fired a fierce shot from outside the area.
Mark Schwarzer was in fine form for the Scocceroos and, after 68 minutes, he denied Abdulatif with his feet before the defence scrambled the ball clear.
Australia’s best chance of the second half fell to Everton’s Tim Cahill but he pulled his header wide of the target.
The tightly-fought contest ended in a 1-0 victory for Australia who top Group C on goal difference. Korea Republic finished in second place and both teams will be in action on Saturday 22nd January in the quarter-finals of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. Bahrain bow out of the Tournament after finishing in third place with three points to their name from their victory over bottom of Group C side, India.