? Wales 1-2 Australia
Any hopes Wales had of recording back-to-back victories for the first time in two years were extinguished last night as Australia ensured that normal service resumed in these parts. Gary Speed was able to call on Gareth Bale's services for the first time but the presence of the Tottenham Hotspur winger was not enough to prevent the Wales manager from suffering his fourth defeat in five matches.
A predatory strike from Tim Cahill followed by another from Robbie Kruse underlined Australia's superiority before the substitute Darcy Blake registered his first international goal late on to give a sparse crowd something to cheer about on an otherwise uninspiring evening.
Speed seemed particularly frustrated with a subdued performance that will do little to help confidence for next month's Euro 2012 qualification matches against Montenegro and England.
"It has given everyone a kick up the backside," he said. "I learnt we hadn't progressed as much as I thought we had, which was disappointing. You can't give two-goal leads away to teams like that.
"[In] the first half we didn't move the ball around quickly enough and were sloppy all round. They didn't do themselves justice in the first half because we are better than that. There are a lot of negatives there and it is something we have to look at."
Australia took the lead just before half-time when Luke Wilkshire, who had struck the upright with a fierce drive moments earlier, crossed for Cahill to volley home. Kruse doubled their lead when he tapped in from close range on the hour.
By that time Aaron Ramsey had departed with a slight calf strain and Craig Bellamy was looking increasingly frustrated. Bale, who played the full 90 minutes, created the equaliser with a corner kick that Blake stooped to head home.
Wales (4-2-3-1): Hennessey; Gunter (Matthews, 62), Williams, Gabbidon (Blake, 46), Taylor; Vaughan (Allen, 70), Ledley; Bellamy, Ramsey (Collison, 47), Bale; Earnshaw (Morison, 62). Subs not used: Myhill, Eardley, Robson-Kanu, King, Tudor-Jones.
Australia (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Wilkshire (Kruse, 46), Neill, Spiranovic, Zullo (Sarota, 83); Emerton (Williams, 48), Valeri, Kilkenny, McKay; Cahill (Troisi, 70) McDonald (Jedinak, 90). Subs not used Federici, DeVere.
Referee K Tohver (Estonia).
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/aug/10/wales-australia-international-friendly
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