Centre-back Milos Degenek has vowed that all-action Australia will not take the “foot off the gas” when it comes to defending their Asian Cup-crown.
Degenek, 24, broke his international duck at the 20th time of asking in Sunday’s impressive final friendly against ex-Socceroos supremo Pim Verbeek’s Oman. The 5-0 triumph at Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium provided a demonstration of the high-octane football favoured by new head coach Graham Arnold, plus sent an ominous message out to their rivals of what is to come in the UAE.
“I don’t think we’re going to take our foot off the gas. We’re going to try to press every team, try to go high, suffocate every team and play our game, don’t let any team get into their rhythm,” the Red Star Belgrade player told Fox Sports.
“We want to obviously implement our game and stick to our plan, and that’s going high, going fast, starting fast and trying to play 90 minutes like that.
“It’s not possible to press for 90 minutes, but we’re going to do our best see what happens.”
The current Gulf Cup champions, Oman, had no answer to their Antipodean opponents’ intensity. Andrew Nabbout, Chris Ikonomidis and Awer Mabil made it 3-0 by 24 minutes, with Degenek and Jackson Irvine completing the rout after the break.
This result made it three wins in four matches for Arnold’s second stint in charge.
For Degenek, his clever flick from Ikonomidis’ corner provided an “unbelievable” moment.
Milos Degenek scores his first goal for Australia 🙌
— Caltex Socceroos (@Socceroos) December 31, 2018
Match highlights: https://t.co/Mzi89cybwp
🎥: @FoxFootball #GoMatildas pic.twitter.com/cOQJhlvIfL
He said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling [to score]. Obviously my 20th game for the country, my first goal.
“Unbelievable feeling, especially leading up to the [AFC] Asian Cup, it gives me a lot of confidence.
“I hit the bar against Lebanon in Sydney and now I have scored, it feels good.”
The Socceroos will head into January 6’s Group B-opener against Jordan full of confidence, despite the losses of star men Aaron Mooy and Daniel Arzani to injury.
