This is exactly what happened in the round of 16 at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup when Australia prevailed in a tight shootout against an Uzbekistan side that were so unadventurous in the second half and during extra time that they seemed to be playing for penalties.
At the end of 120 minutes of uninspiring football dominated by both defences, the Socceroos were locked at 0-0 and they kept their heads to prevail 4-2 thanks largely to goalkeeper Maty Ryan who saved two kicks to break the Uzbeks' hearts.
It was a measure of Australia's territorial domination of this very dull match in Al Ain that Ryan's shootout heroics were his first meaningful contribution to his team's cause since he stood his ground to block a fierce shot from striker Eldor Shomurodov early in the first half.
Let's be brutally honest about this: Australia played poorly and lacked ideas - especially in the front third - and hardly ever looked like scoring.
They were occasionally nervous in defence during Uzbekistan's rare forays into attack, irritatingly slow and unimaginative in midfield where the ball was passed laterally and backwards ad nauseam and utterly toothless and harmless in attack.
The introduction of Mathew Leckie midway into the second half livened things up and the Hertha Berlin winger who would slot home the decisive penalty could have scored soon after coming on with a firm drive that was well saved by veteran Ignatiy Nesterov.
It was, however, one of only two serious scoring chances created by either team in the whole match. Which said it all about its quality and entertainment value.
The match was one of those eminently forgettable encounters that makes you wonder why the hell would anyone keep watching it.
However Australia, to their credit, were the only team that tried to force the issue even though for long periods they failed to leave any impression on their obdurate opponents, much to the dismay and frustration of those fervent fans in Australia who stayed up for the game.
Arnold understandably stuck with the same attack that did fairly well in the second and third group matches against Palestine and Syria.
Unfortunately for the Socceroos, main striker Jamie Maclaren, wide men Awer Mabil and Chris Ikonomidis and Tom Rogic behind them failed to exert any influence on proceedings and significantly they were all replaced during the course of the match.
The crafty Uzbeks exposed their limitations although Rogic at times showed touches of class but he ruined several promising moves by giving the ball away or by erratic passing. The Celtic man is suspended for the Socceroos' next match after picking up his second yellow card in the tournament.
Next up for Australia is a quarter-final against the United Arab Emirates, who beat Kyrgystan 3-2 after extra time in the later game.
The UAE are coached by Alberto Zaccheroni, the former AC Milan mentor who knows Australian football very well after his spell in charge of Japan from 2010 to 2014.
Having prevailed over Uzbekistan's Hector Cuper, who took Valencia to the 2001 UEFA Champions League final, Arnold will see the quarter-final as an opportunity to pit his wits against another famous and experienced coach.
The stiff challenge posed by the host country should also give us a better idea of what the current Socceroos are made of.
