Soccer: Aussie media praise All Whites, slam tackles

Socceroo Tim Cahill (L) is given a warning by the referee for his tackle on Leo Bertos. Photo / Getty Images

Two bad Australian tackles were highlighted today as were the All Whites' competitiveness and aerial threat as the Australia media dissected the Socceroos' last-gasp 2-1 victory in a pre-World Cup soccer friendly in Melbourne.

Home coach Pim Verbeek slammed players Vince Grella and Tim Cahill for "two brutal tackles" on Leo Bertos last night, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported.

Bertos was carried off on a stretcher with just half an hour gone "after Cahill's scything challenge, which followed Grella's two-footed lunge".

The Herald also said the All Whites would head off for friendly matches in Europe in a positive frame of mind, while the Socceroos, who "were carved up at the back in the air", would have to improve on their rusty display.

"It was a match in which New Zealand's competitive spirit, organisation and aerial prowess up front often threatened to unhinge their better-credentialed opponents, although the Socceroos, with a plethora of second-half substitutions, finished the stronger."

The Australian newspaper said a listless opening "degenerated into a sullen and frankly ugly first half" from the Socceroos, who produced their worst 45 minutes of football since Verbeek took over.

"There is always an element of edge in a transtasman encounter, netball or football, but Vince Grella and Tim Cahill were responsible for atrocious tackles that saw All White Leo Bertos stretchered from the field" it said.

"Grella produced a needless, double-footed challenge that cut across Bertos' right leg and ought to in turn have produced a red card ... three minutes later, Cahill finished what Grella started with a high, studs out lunge that again caught Bertos' right leg."

The Courier-Mail in Brisbane said an injury-time strike from Brett Holman and Dario Vidosic's first goal for the Socceroos spared Australia's blushes against a plucky New Zealand side who had led through Chris Killen.

"The Socceroos were particularly poor in the first half, with star pair Tim Cahill and Vince Grella both lucky not to be sent off after shocking studs-up challenges on Kiwi midfielder Leo Bertos."

- NZPA