Socceroos must adapt to defensive opponents: Meulensteen

Jan 09, 2019 06:00 am

Australia must adapt to the defensive style of their Asian Cup opponents as they prepare for a Palestine side who could prove as troubling as Jordan were in their opener, Socceroos assistant coach Rene Meulensteen has said.

Defending champions Australia suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Jordan in their opening match in Al Ain last Sunday, dominating for long spells but unable to cancel out Anas Bani Yaseen's 26th-minute header in the Group B clash at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

The Socceroos, who won the 2015 tile on home soil, face Palestine on Friday in Dubai and Meulensteen said they were likely to set up the same way as Jordan.

He said: "We can expect the same thing from Palestine. It'll be a very defensive set-up. This is a team that sets themselves up with everyone behind the ball.

"We will have a lot of the ball and the most important thing for us is to use it well, to be patient, to keep the quality, to keep the speed of play and eventually open them up.

"It's about constant movement of the ball and players, dragging them in, dragging them out... and being clinical." - REUTERS