Qantas Socceroos sink to a 2-0 loss to Slovenia

Incoming Australia manager Holger Ozieck was given plenty to ponder as he watched the Socceroos sink to a 2-0 loss to Slovenia in Ljubljana on Thursday morning.

By Paddy Higgs, Sportal

Incoming Australia manager Holger Ozieck was given plenty to ponder as he watched the Socceroos sink to a 2-0 loss to Slovenia in Ljubljana on Thursday morning.

A 77th-minute header from half-time substitute Zlatko Dedic and a last-gasp drive from Zlatan Ljubijankic were the difference, and it was no less than the home team deserved after dictating play against the flat Socceroos.

Unveiled before the game, German Osieck has a task on his hands to break his new side out of the mould crafted by dour Dutch predecessor Pim Verbeek.

Having failed to make it out of the group stage and possessing the third-oldest squad at the 2010 World Cup, it was little surprise that interim manager Han Berger put out a far younger team against Slovenia.

Missing were rested stars Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Vince Grella and retirees Scott Chipperfield and Craig Moore.

But despite several fresh faces in the line-up - including attackers Nikita Rukavytsya and Bruce Djite - Australia's struggles continued.

The Socceroos were kept pinned back in their half by Slovenia for much of the encounter.

With captain Robert Koren pulling the strings in midfield, Slovenia adopted a shoot-on-sight approach to the first game at the European country's new national stadium.

Koren was well supported by wingers Valter Birsa and Andraz Kirm, who kept first Mark Schwarzer and then half-time replacement Adam Federici busy.

The highlights were few for the Socceroos, who seemed devoid of invention when in possession.

They did come closest to finding the back of the net in a scoreless first half when Slovenian keeper Samir Handanovic misjudged a Mile Jedinak cross on 35 minutes.

After the ball bounced over Handanovic's head and rebounded off the upright, Djite skied his shot over when it seemed easier to score.

Perhaps aggrieved not to have capitalised on their dominance in the first half, Slovenia began the second period by piling the pressure on the beleaguered Lucas Neill-led Australian defence.

After the home side went close on a host of occasions, it was Dedic who broke the deadlock.

Right-back Miso Brecko's left-foot cross was met deftly by the head of the Bochum forward just inside the box, with Federici's out-stretched right hand unable to get a touch as it floated in.

Fellow substitute Ljulijankic doubled the advantage in the shadow of full-time, pouncing on a poor Neill touch to drive a shot past a despairing Federici.