Australia coach Ange Postecoglou praises players after Asian Cup triumph

niall 19:42 31/01/2015
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  • Australia's coach Ange Postecoglou smiles during the victory lap after beating South Korea in the Asian Cup football final.

    Australia coach Ange Postecoglou saluted his history-making players on Saturday after the Socceroos won the Asian Cup for the first time, defeating South Korea 2-1 in an exciting final in Sydney.

    Massimo Luonga’s goal just before half-time looked to have given Australia a famous victory until Son Heung-min equalised for the Taeguk Warriors in the 91st minute. James Troisi grabbed the decisive goal at the end of the first period of extra-time and the men in the green and gold hung on to lift the trophy.

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    “I am super proud of everyone the players, the staff and everyone. I couldn’t be happier,” said Postecoglou after the game. “It was a different kind of game tonight, it was tough, it was a final and you have to grind it out …there’s always twists but the courage the players showed tonight was enormous.”

    The coach was impressed that his players bounced back after the last-gasp Korean equaliser.

    “My only concern was that because we conceded so late, the boys would be so heartbroken they couldn’t pick themselves up in extra-time, but I knew we’d finish stronger. It was just a matter of taking our chance when it came, and we did.”

    “Football is a great game; the greatest in the world. And hopefully us Aussies we can take on the best in the world because I have a real belief in this whole group and in Aussie football and we’ll move on from here.”

    South Korea coach Uli Stielike also paid tribute to his players after pushing the champions all the way on home soil.

    South Korea coach Uli Stielike looks on during the Asian Cup final.

    “I don’t agree that we’re not champions, I agree that we don’t have the Cup but our players are champions of a lot of hearts…”

    “It was a game that could have seen victory go to one side or the other. I think the best for this game would be a draw and each team takes the Cup for two years at home.”

    After just four months in the job the German has helped to pick the team up from the disappointment of the 2014 World Cup.

    “Saturday was the best game in terms of body language, when you play in front of 76,000 people and some players have never played in this ambience. There’s no difference in which is the home team and which is from outside, they were very aggressive and had a very good spirit.”

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