Dramatic rearguard action in the last 10 minutes, but Australia will take an enormous amount from that result.
92 mins: Borja against the post again! Moreno swings in a great free-kick, and Borja gets a left foot on it, but can only find the same post again. Unlucky.
90 mins: Irvine comes on for Luongo, who has been outstanding.
89 mins: Three minutes of added time.
88 mins: Chaos in the box! Bodies everywhere as Colombia attack from the right, but Australia scramble it away for a corner. They are hanging on.
86 mins: Great save Vukovic! He was a bit unlucky to concede the pen, a little touch from Degenek taking the ball into a difficult area, but that save will give him a huge lift. Not the worst penalty you’ve ever seen, he got down low with a strong left hand.
Vukovic goes left and beats away Borja’s effort!
84 mins: Vukovic brings down Borja as he chases a long ball.
82 mins: Yimmi Chara, another sub, looks good down the right, but his cross is way too high for Borja. Or anyone less than 3m tall.
81 mins: James Troisi is on for Rogic. And James is going off, replaced by Moreno.
80 mins: Against the post! Borja again! He has been a handful. Rose in the middle of the box and looped a header against the right-hand post with Vukovic stranded.
77 mins: James slips and bunts it straight into the wall.
76 mins: Milligan fouls Borja on the edge of the box, and this is dangerous. James?
72 mins: Kruse for Nabbout. Can’t say Nabbout has been too prominent, but he’s an option at least. Certainly happier out wide than in the middle, as he was against Norway.
71 mins: Robbie Kruse is imminent. Unless he just likes wearing a singlet on a cold night.
68 mins: Luongo almost scores a wonderful goal, weaving through the defence with lightning feet, but he can’t get his shot away from Ospina! He is class when he’s on.
Borja’s disallowed goal.
64 mins: Colombia have raised the tempo here and definitely look the more likely scorers. Socceroos getting stretched.
63 mins: Amazing miss by Borja! Brilliant cross from the left and he steams in on the six-yard box and heads wide with the goal gaping. Australia were opening right up there.
62 mins: Cahill is on for Juric.
61 mins: Vukovic! Bacca gets away from Risdon down the left and crosses for James, whose header is beaten away by the debutant. He’ll feel good for that.
60 mins: Mina goes up against Leckie in one of those childish not-quite-headbutting displays. Some feeling in this game – Leckie is annoying everyone.
58 mins: Rogic free-kick into a good area is put behind by Mina for a corner, with no Socceroos nearby. From the corner Leckie has a decent chance but his header is ... not good.
57 mins: Another bad loss of possession, this time by Milligan, gives James a sight of goal, but he shoots comfortably over.
55 mins: Now Borja misses a glaring chance after being put through by a more direct ball, though he’s given offside again.
54 mins: Disallowed goal! Borja sticks it away brilliantly but Bacca, who crossed from the left, was offside. That all came from a bad giveaway by Jedinak.
50 mins: Murillo in some trouble after going down with what looks like a hamstring. He’s going to be replaced by Yerry Mina, the young Barcelona defender.
48 mins: Borja gets in a tangle with Degenek and Behich near the goalline and reacts angrily. Bobby Madley calms it down. Corner to Colombia leads to a chance for Borja to put in an acrobatic overhead that goes just over the bar!
47 mins: Good try Nabbout! Lovely work from Rogic again sets up the Jets man but his shot goes wide.
45 mins: Australia win a corner after Juric’s neat flick nearly lets in Rogic. Luongo’s delivery is not great this time.
Danny Vukovic is on for his international debut, on his birthday. No other changes for Australia, but Colombia are bringing on Borja and Lerma for Falcao and Aguilar.
Can’t argue with this:
Daniel Garb (@DanielGarb)Far better, Australia in that first half against a quality side. A dramatic improvement defensively. Looked organised, structured. Luongo the @Socceroos best, clearly. Been in great form for @QPRFC. Playing with plenty confidence. #COLvAUS
March 27, 2018
Andy Harper makes the point that Australia do much better against a team that wants to keep the ball, but struggle so badly against a more direct approach, regardless of quality. They can probably safely assume Colombia won’t resort to lumping it forward today.
Australia will be hugely encouraged by that half. Without creating many chances they have looked much brighter than against Norway. James and Falcao have been quiet for the most part, with all Colombia’s best moments coming through Mojica on the left. But all square is a fair reflection so far.
42 mins: Great ball releases Mojica yet again, but his cross is cleared by Degenek and at the end of an Australian counter Juric has a strong effort from a tight angle that goes just wide. Good effort!
41 mins: Rogic finds Juric in the middle, who tries to release Leckie, but it’s too far and Ospina collects.