Paralympic team go down to world number 1
The Australian Paralympic Football team has lost its opening match of the 2008 Canadian 7-A-Side Invitational tournament being held in Langley, British Columbia, 4-1 against world number 1 team Russia.
The game was played in excellent conditions, and the Russian team pressed Australia early and stopped Australia from getting into any type of rhythm. In the 12th minute of the game Russia scored the opening goal through quick passing which caught the Australian team out.
Australia began to make some inroads of its own but the World Champions scored again in the 18th minute of the game.
The Australian team then composed itself and through hard work and determination, which created an opportunity for David Cantoni to make a run down the right side and cut back into the goal area. Cantoni with an excellent touch pushed a ball passed the Russian keeper to make the score 2-1.
The Russian team quickly bounced back into gear and scored soon after from a free kick just outside of the box. They then pressed again only minutes later to score again from some quick accurate passing to take a 4-1 half time lead.
From the start of the second half Paul Brown had managed to get the Australian players to settle down and showed how good they could play. With a stronger defence the Russian team had trouble trying to penetrate the Australian defence.
Thomas Goodman from South Australia made his international debut at the age of 17 in the 48th minute of the game.
The best chance of the second half came again to Cantoni in the 50th minute when he took a long range shot and hit the left hand upright. If not for the post Australia would have scored their second goal.
Goalkeeper Sam Larkings pulled off some excellent one on one saves throughout the match.
Australia continued to work hard and managed to keep the Russians scoreless in the second half and proved how good a side they are.
Match Details
Russia 4 Australia 1 (David Cantoni - 25th)
Australian Line-Up: Sam Larkings (gk), Chris Pyne (Captain) (Thomas Goodman 48-), Jamie Laybutt (Patrick Grant 58-), Brett Fairhall (Marik Gleizer 42-), Beau Menzies, Brett Cross (Jamie Paulsen 52-), and David Cantoni.