We weren’t able to watch this match. It wasn’t broadcast on free-to-air TV and we were out anyway. From the reports the match went much like the Ghana match – single good goal scored by us just after half-time, opposition applied a lot of pressure in the second half but couldn’t put it past Mark Schwarzer in goals.

Everybody else seems to have a blog so here is mine.

This Friday night we are going to the Sydney Football Stadium to see a ‘soccer football’ friendly between Australia and Ghana. (When I played it was called Soccer, the same as in North America, because in Australia various well-established oval-ball games had been using that name. Of course in most countries ‘football’ is used for the round-ball game. Australia seems to be following that practice and soccer is reclaiming the name ‘football’).

Ghana is currently ranked 14 in the world while Australia is ranked 43. Australia has the home advantage but both sides have reasons not to field full-strength sides: some Australian regulars are injured after long seasons playing in Europe (Lucas Neill, Brett Emerton, Mark Viduka, Tim Cahill, Mark Bresciano, Vincenzo Grella, Luke Wilkshire and Jason Culina), while Ghana’s Michael Essien is playing for Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League Final in Moscow. One good thing about having so many overseas players out is that many Australian A-League players will get a chance to make a name for themselves. Some very good news is that Harry Kewell will be playing.

Here is some more discussion about Friday’s game: http://www.realfootball.com.au/socceroos-v-ghana-football-match-review/2008/05/19/