‘I take full responsibility’ - Souttar acknowledges Mexico error
Socceroos defender Harry Souttar had a mixed bag on Sunday, scoring the side’s first goal before playing a part in Mexico’s late equaliser.
He got off to a great start in the match, nodding home the opener inside 16 minutes, making the most of Martin Boyle’s corner.
The towering defender now has seven goals in the green and gold in just 17 appearances - but he credited the work put in training for his goal against Mexico.
“This camp, we’ve done a lot of work on set pieces for and against, and they moved me into a different role of just in the six-yard box, instead of starting from the 18-yard box and running in,” Souttar said.
“The sessions we do during the week, there’ll be time slots allocated to purely set pieces. We’ll do them nearer to the game so it’s familiar within the lads’ heads.
“We’ll have multiple meetings about our set pieces attacking-wise and their [our opponents'] weaknesses, but also their strengths as well for their attacking and defending.
“A lot of work does go into it. It’s nice when it pays off.”
When Boyle emphatically fired home a spot kick, Australia were tasked with defending a two-goal lead for the final half an hour.
However, a quickly-conceded penalty, scored by Raul Jimenez, put the pressure back on, and a defensive mix-up in the final seven minutes put Mexico on level terms.
El Tri’s equaliser came from a long ball that wasn’t dealt with by Australia, with Souttar ducking under it and Maty Ryan not coming for it, allowing Cesar Huerta to race in and score.
Souttar clarified that he was at fault in not heading it away.
“I’ve watched it a few times since last night to see what I could have done, and I’ve just got to head it away. Simple as that,” he said.
“It was purely my mistake. Maty behind me had nothing to do with it.
“I take full responsibility for that.”
There's something so satisfying about a Harry Souttar header, it's like visual ASMR.@harryjsouttar ⚽
🎥 @10FootballAU #MEXvAUS #Socceroos pic.twitter.com/97pUEgaXkD— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) September 10, 2023
While he admitted the artificial pitch may have played a part in the way he processed the situation, Souttar stopped short of blaming the pitch for the error.
"I'll learn from it. Obviously, with the pitch some balls skid through some balls check back and that one's just checked back into the striker," he said.
"I've watched it a few times obviously since last night to see what I could have done.
"And yeah, I've just got to head that way as simple as that."
"I've got to look at myself and say, I've played 90 minutes on the pitch and I know what the pitch can do so I've just got to be more smarter in that situation.
"And obviously we're holding on to the lead and I've just got to head it away."
That late mistake manifested a feeling of discontent in the Socceroos’ camp, dropping a two-goal lead consequent of individual errors, according to Souttar.
He concluded that such a reaction boded well for Australia’s development as a football team.
“The general feeling after the game was one of disappointment because we were 2-0 up, and we let it slip purely from mistakes from ourselves,” Souttar explained.
“It wasn’t like they carved us open or Maty had too much to do. It was our own doing.
“To come here away from home in that atmosphere and the crowd and to be disappointed to get a draw is a really good stage for our team to be at, and I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
Souttar led a new-look defence for Australia comprising of usual central defender Kye Rowles playing at left back and new-boy Cameron Burgess partnering the Leicester defender.
He said it worked well, praising the performances of both Burgess and Rowles.
“I thought he [Burgess] was great. Also, another Scottish accent in the team, which is nice,” Souttar said.
“He’s vocal, he’s a leader as well, which helps me at the back to control what’s in front of us.
“He was really calm and composed on the ball, which is not easy to do on an artificial surface.
“I thought he [Rowles] was really good and had a couple of really good tackles earlier in the first half.
“It’s a new role for him, so he was adjusting as well, but I thought he got forward well, defended really well.”
Souttar returns to the Midlands eager to curry favour with recently-appointed Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca, who has yet to give Australia’s star defender a single competitive minute.
Despite rumours of a loan deal for Souttar, he said he will fight for his place in Leicester’s English Premier League promotion campaign.
“It’s been tough,” he said.
“I am a Leicester player, and I’m going to do everything in my power to try and get back in the squad.
“It’s the manager’s decision, so all I can do is work hard and try and prove to him that I can get back in the squad.”