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An even contest between Australia and Indonesia has ended as a draw, giving the Socceroos one point in their opening match of the qualifiers for the Asian Cup in 2011. Coach Pim Verbeek selected a side completely from the the domestic A-League, not requesting appearances from his star players in Europe. Both sides battled the harsh Indonesian conditions for 90 minutes with the heat and humidity visually wearing them down towards the end of the match. In addition, the uneven pitch and the passionate Indonesian fans made it an even greater challenge for the Socceroos to take hold of the game, some of which were making their debut appearance for Australia. Simon managed to find the back of the net in the second half after being substituted on, however the goal was judged to be offside. Indonesian goalkeeper Markus struggled to hold the ball cleanly throughout much of the match, but finished the 90 minutes strongly, frustrating the Australian side but pleasing his home fans. The 0-0 final result gave both teams a well deserved point towards their Asian Cup qualifying campaign.
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