The Aussie custodian held on to a poor strike in the 12 metre duel and David Carney could and should have won it for Australia seconds later at the other end.

CHINA 0 AUSTRALIA 0

To see the Socceroos training in China...


FULL-TIME China 0 Australia 0. It's all over in Kunming and Pim's men have secured a precious point. It looked like ending in disaster with China awarded a penalty in the final minute but not for the first time Mark Schwarzer emerged as a spot-kick hero. Then moments later it should have been celebration time. If only Dave Carney had showed a little more urgency in trying to tuck in Mark Bresciano's cross from the left. All the fears over the altitude proved unfounded while Verbeek's patched up side rose to the challenge superbly. An important point on the road to South Africa, no question.

91 A great chance for Australia. Bresciano crosses from the left and picks out Carney. Sadly not enough conviction in the Sheffield United man's strike and the chance is lost.

90 There will be three additional minutes.

89 Yeeessss! Schwarzer the hero again as he gets down to his left to keep out the spot-kick. Australia fight on.

88 Disaster! China awarded a penalty. Schwarzer penalised for bringing down his man and promptly booked.

86 Schwarzer finally called into action as Schwarzer has to get down sharply to his right to keep out a powerful low strike. Vital that the Australian keeper held on and he did so magnificently.

85 Grella makes a decent block. Just over five minutes to play. Can Australia hang on for a valuable point?

83 Yet another woeful delivery into the box by China and Australia happy yet again to see the ball drift straight out.

81 A very high challenge on Wilkshire sees the Australian floored. A two-footed challenge deserves a red card and yet not even a caution. Ridiculous.

79 Poor ball from Culina bounces out for a throw down the right. Holman booked for pulling back his opponent.

77 Still the deadlock remains with neither keeper having had to get his gloves dirty this half. Another overhit Chinese cross from the left flies out for a throw.

75 We're into the final 15 minutes. China run the ball out for a goal kick after breaching the Australian back line.

74 Australia win free-kick down by the right corner flag. A great chance to get the ball into the danger zone. Carney's rather flat delivery is easily headed clear. A real waste.

73 North plays it back to Schwarzer under pressure.

72 Free-kick to China down the left 35 metres from goal after a foul by North. Far too much on the delivery and the ball drifts out harmlessly for a goal kick.

71 Lucas Neill hurls the ball into the box and Beauchamp is promptly penalised for a foul. Didn't look much in it.

70 Twenty minutes to go and Bresciano wins a throw down by the right corner flag.

68 China make another change with skipper Zhi making way for Shao.

67 Great closing down by Holman and wins a throw on the left hand side on the halfway line.

65 Great tackle by Beauchamp on the right edge of the area. The ball eventually played out to Zhi and his cross from the right sails out for a goal kick.

64 Valeri picks out Holman inside the area in a central position but the Australian can't quite get the ball out from under his feet and China belt it clear.

62 Great work by Neill to see the ball out for a goalkick down the right. China make their first change.

60 Terrific cross from Zheng Zhi on the left byline, Beauchamp does just enough to prevent an oncoming attacker getting a firm header on the delivery.

59 The ball is punched clear, falls for Grella on the edge of the box but his shot flies wide of the left post.

58 Bresciano ball deflects out for a corner down the left after a fine pass from Carney. Can Australia capitalise?

56 Wilkshire tries to pick out Holman down the right. The latter fouls his man as he battles for possession by the right corner flag.

55 Carney surges down the left flank but crowded out as three red shirts converge to halt his progress.

53 Schwarzer has to see out a viscious inswinging cross from the left. China suddenly beginning to look a little more dangerous and building momentum.

52 Cross from the left and Schwarzer well positioned to hold on to a Ping header.

51 Free-kick to China on the left hand side just inside the Australia half.

50 Zheng Zi strike from 25 metres is horribly off target and only narrowly misses going out for a throw in down the left.

48 Neill hacks clear a low cross from the right as China look to try and unlock the Australian defence.

47 Holman wins a throw down the right level with the China penalty area. Beauchamp goes down and as the ball runs loose Culina's low strike is blocked.

46 Long punt forward by the home side and they concede a free-kick in battling for possession.

The teams are out for the second half. No further changes for Australia.

HALF-TIME China 0 Australia 0. Pim Verbeek should be pretty happy with his troops after a largely comfortable first 45 minutes in Kunming. Losing Archie Thompson to an early injury was yet another attacking setback but Brett Holman has come on to cause the home side one or two problems. The green and gold boys have kept possession fairly well and aside from the occasional flurry, the Chinese have not looked particularly menacing. Australia could and should have gone into the break with an advantage with keeper Zong Lei having made a decent stop to keep out a low strike from Mark Bresciano. You sense the Chinese may have more to offer in the second half and will hope to spot signs of fatigue among their visitors. Have Pim's boys enough puff left to see the job through?


45 There will be one minute of added time at the end of the first half.

44 Bresciano cross from the right byline headed clear comfortably.

43 Wilkshire picks out Holman but the latter cannot make a clean connection from close range.

42 Holman fires in a low strike which the keeper cannot hold but China are first to the loose ball and able to clear.

41 Low free-kick is whipped in towards the near post. A Chinese boot is first to connect but thankfully the ball flies high and wide of the target.

40 China putting together a little spell of pressure. Valeri commits a foul on the left side level with the Australian penalty area.

38 Chinese volley flies over Schwarzer's crossbar much to the visitors' relief.

38 The ball swung into the six yard box but Jade North whacks it clear.

37 Wilkshire charges down a cross by the left corner flag at the expense of another corner.
36 Again, Australia so comfortable on the ball. Keeping possession well. The ball eventually played out to Carney on the left by Holman but the Sheffield United man is caught offside.

35 Bresciano robbed in the centre of the park. Another high ball over the top eludes the home strikers once again and Schwarzer is there to pick up.

33 Free-kick to China, pushed forward into the box. Zhi flicks the ball over Grella but his attempted left foot volley is scuffed through to Schwarzer. A shot across the bow for the Aussies.

32 Goal kick for Australia as another Chinese attack fizzles out down the right hand side. So far so good for Verbeek's boys.

31 Zheng Zi runs the ball out for a goal kick down the right under pressure from Valeri.

30 Carney robbed down the right but recovers superbly to nick the ball back from his opponent.

29 Another aimless long ball forward by the Chinese and Schwarzer gathers easily on the right edge of his area.

27 Wilkshire takes a difficult ball from Neill on the right but can't push on. Bresciano then penalised for handball. Australia growing in confidence and enjoying the better of proceedings.

26 Holman caught offside as the visitors push forward again in search of the opener.

25 So close to the opener for Australia. Low cross from the left by Holman, Bresciano stretches to connect and a wonderful save from the home keeper to his right. Bresciano should have scored though, no question.

24 Chinese throw in on the right hand side, level with their own penalty area.

23 Holman's through ball towards Jason Culina has too much pace on it and goes straight through to Lei.

22 The corner whipped in from the right and again Schwarzer opts to punch, again successfully.

21 Vital challenge inside the area from North to prevent the home side getting in a clean strike at goal. The ball rolls wide of the right post for a corner.

20 Still little to get really excited about although Australia will be happy having kept the Chinese relatively quiet for the opening 20 minutes.

19 Poor pass by Valeri towards Wilkshire and the ball rolls out for a throw on the right flank.

18 The free-kick curled towards the near post and Schwarzer opts to punch clear. China play the ball back into the danger zone and Grella thumps the ball clear.

17 Clumsy foul by Carney on Zhi results in a free-kick for China on the right byline. The Sheffield United man is also booked for the challenge.

16 Brett Holman closes down Lei but the keeper succeeds in shepherding the ball out for a goalkick at the other end.
15 China lift the ball into the box but too much pace on it and it rolls wide of the right post for a goalkick.

14 Beauchamp penalised for a foul on the right but again China fail to take advantage of a set piece from around the halfway line.

13 Neill heads clear a long ball pumped forward and the ball eventually played back to Chinese keeper Zong Lei.

11 The visitors are happy to just play short balls and there isn't much of a tempo to the game at present.

10 Australia surrender possession after some neat interplay in the centre of the park.

9 Disaster. Thompson cannot continue and Verbeek introduces Brett Holman to the fray. Can he hit the net against China as he did 12 months ago?

7 Archie Thompson has hit the deck again and is receving treatment on his right leg. Surely not another striker crocked?

6 An acrobatic clearance by North but as the ball is pumped back into the area, the Chinese are a whisker away from pouncing with Schwarzer able to gather.

5 Another throw for China down the right flank. Beauchamp comes across to concede a corner as the home side press.

3 China win a throw down the right which is headed clear by Jade North. Archie Thompson is then clattered by Feng and it results in the first yellow card of the contest.

2 David Carney takes advantage of a Chinese slip but is dispossessed just inside the home penalty area.

1 Australia knocking the ball around in the centre of the park giving numerous players an early touch.
The formalities are complete and we're ready to go. Can the Sickeroos pull through?

The teams are emerging on to the pitch and line up for the national anthems. The Socceroos will be captained by Lucas Neill.

The Australian team is as follows: Mark Schwarzer, Luke Wilkshire, Lucas Neill, Michael Beauchamp, Jade North, Carl Valeri, Vince Grella, David Carney, Mark Bresciano, Jason Culina, Archie Thompson.

Half an hour to kick off in Kunming and Pim Verbeek has chosen the 11 players to go out and bring Australia a step closer to the 2010 World Cup finals.
Already without Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton, Scott McDonald and Bruce Djite, Verbeek suffered a further blow ahead of the game with Harry Kewell ruled out in the hours leading up to kick off.