Australia’s Olympic soccer hopes will rest solely with the Matildas after the men failed to qualify.
The Olyroos were held to a goalless draw by hosts Qatar in their final group match in the Under-23 Asian Cup, which serves as the Olympic qualifying tournament, leaving them with two points and no goals from their three matches.
Australia pressed for much of the match and created a series of chances, but as in their previous matches, were unable to make those chances count.
As it happened, it would not have mattered if they had.
For Australia to qualify they not only needed to win but for Indonesia to lose. Instead Indonesia, who had beaten Australia 1-0, beat Jordan 4-1.
Qatar and Indonesia progress from the group into the quarterfinals, with the top three in the event qualifying for Paris.
The Olyroos will miss the Games for the fourth time in the past three editions, failing to qualify for London 2012 and Rio 2016, before a third-placed finish at the 2020 U23 Asian Cup booked their ticket to Tokyo, where they fell in the group stage.
Having drawn 0-0 with Jordan and lost 1-0 to Indonesia, Tony Vidmar’s players faced Qatar at Al Rayyan’s Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Sunday (early Monday AEDT) hoping to break their goalscoring duck and be given a lifeline from the other group game being played simultaneously.
Vidmar made three changes from the loss to Indonesia with Rhys Youlley, Lachlan Brook and Nicolas Milanovic returning to the starting XI.
Though Qatar had already qualified, the opening period was cagey and little had happened when Australia were forced into a change after Jake Hollman pulled up. Keegan Jelacic replaced him.
Australia then began to press and should have been ahead by the break.
Youlley drew a good save at the near post, then Jacob Italiano shot over when well placed, before Milanovic somehow headed across goal from beyond the far post.
At half-time came the news that Indonesia was 2-0 up, but Australia’s game remained resolutely goalless.
With 20 minutes left, the Kuol brothers — Alou and Garang — were introduced as the Green and Gold sought in vain to get something out of the match.
Jelacic came closest, a volley being parried onto the upright while Indonesia, in nearby Doha, wrapped up their victory.
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AAP
