The Olyroos have the chance to make history, potentially escaping Tokyo’s ‘group of death’ over one of football’s heavyweights Spain or Argentina, and Harry Souttar backs the Aussies to overcome those daunting Olympic odds.
Tonight, Australia’s Olympic football campaign hangs in the balance.
The Olyroos have tested their might against two of the world’s top footballing nations — Spain and Argentina — and are still in the Group C battle.
In Rifu, at the Miyagi Stadium, the boys in green and gold will decide their fate. Beat fourth-placed Egypt, and the Olyroos are through to the quarter-finals, no matter whether Spain or Argentina are victorious. Even a draw or, lord forbid, a loss, could see the Australians through to the next stage.
Souttar knows it too; it’s all still to play for in Tokyo.
“[Qualification] is in our hands,” the Stoke defender told media. “We control our destiny. We have got to go out there, put everything in, and make sure we go through.”
The Olyroos earned their strong position with two glittering performances in the Tokyo 2020’s early matchdays. First, the Aussie under 23s staged a famous upset over Argentina, 2-0, before scraping to a 1-0 loss to a La Liga-heavy Spain.
“We know outside a lot of people didn’t have us as doing much [at the Olympics], especially when the groups got drawn out of the hat,” Souttar said.
“But as a group, we knew what qualities we had.”
“We just couldn’t wait to show them. It was a great first victory [against Argentina on matchday one] and while it was disappointing to lose the second game [to Spain], I thought the performance of the boys was fantastic.
“Now it’s about putting it right and qualifying for the next stage.”
Souttar’s goals are ambitious, of course — Australia has never been seen as an international equal in the same circles as Spain and Argentina.
They face neither of those heavyweights on Wednesday evening though. When the Olyroos “take control” of their own destiny it will be against Egypt. The African youngsters managed a draw against Spain, 0-0, before a Facundo Medina goal doomed them to a 1-0 loss to Argentina on Sunday.
There’s little focus on their rivals though, Souttar says.
“It’s all about the mindset in our own camp,” he explained, “which I think is unreliable. We are just so driven to do well, and we just want it so much. I think the fans can see that in our performances.”
“Of course, that [mentality] is driven by the manager [Arnold], but it is also driven by ourselves as individuals as well, playing on the world stage and representing our country. The manager has played a pivotal role in getting our mindset right and likewise, so has all the staff.
“It is a great culture in the team, and it is just one where everyone is buzzing to be around here. We have been in camp for three weeks, but the energy is still so high.”
The Australians will be short-staffed in Wednesday’s crunch-time Olympic contest against the Egyptians, with Mitch Duke (the team’s only above-23 player), Riley McGree, and Nathaniel Atkinson all ruled out through yellow card suspensions.
The last Group C match for the Olyroos begins at 9pm AEST live on Channel 7.
