Asian Cup: Early goals book place in final for Australia

Socceroos to face South Korea after subduing UAE 2-0 courtesy of quickfire double

NEWCASTLE: Australia struck twice early on and then soaked up the pressure as they downed UAE 2-0 to set up an Asian Cup final against unbeaten South Korea on Tuesday.

Quickfire goals from defenders Trent Sainsbury and Jason Davidson in the first 15 minutes were enough to put the 2011 runners-up in the frame for their first Asian title.

"It was a dream start for us," said Davidson of West Bromwich Albion. "I think as the game went on fatigue kicked in a little bit but we hung on and kept a clean sheet."

The Emirates' side's star playmaker Omar Abdulrahman asked constant questions of the Socceroos at Newcastle's Hunter Stadium, but the visitors were unable to craft a way back.

"It wasn't the best performance, but sometimes in semi-finals you don't play your best football," said forward Robbie Kruse, a veteran of 2011's tight final defeat to Japan.

Sainsbury had promised to ‘choke’ UAE ‘until they're blue’ and they barely had time to draw breath when he headed in the game's first corner after only three minutes.

UAE targetman Ahmed Khalil almost hit back in the 10th minute but his low shot struck the outside of Mathew Ryan's near post and went out for a goal-kick.

And in the 14th minute, Australia earned breathing space when left-back Davidson coolly passed the ball into the bottom corner for the 2-0 lead.

Australia's front three of Kruse, Mathew Leckie and Tim Cahill were always dangerous but despite going two goals down, UAE refused to be cowed and they continually probed without being able to crack open the home defence.

Khalil drilled a powerful long-range effort narrowly wide after the restart as the Gulf side sought to keep the game alive. But that was the closest they came and despite their forays forward, the second half played out scoreless for what finished as a comfortable Australian victory.

"In such a big game like a semi-final, it's not easy to come back after conceding two goals by mistakes in the first 15 minutes," said UAE coach Mahdi Ali. "We tried our best to come back but it was not easy.”

Australia will be wary of South Korea in Saturday's final, after they lost 1-0 to the Taeguk Warriors in the group stages.
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