Socceroos bank on home support at ANZ Stadium driving them on after previous great occasions

SOME 45,000 Socceroos fans will be at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night, hoping to see another piece of history made.

Socceroos players train at ANZ Stadium on Monday ahead of their World Cup showdown with Syria.

SOME 45,000 Socceroos fans will be at ANZ Stadium tonight, hoping to see another piece of history made.

After qualification successes against Uruguay in 2005 and Iraq in 2013, plus the Asian Cup triumph in 2015, no wonder it’s a favoured venue for the national team.

The crowd to face Syria will be around 10 times the attendance for the first leg last week, and despite predictions of a passionate Syrian contingent, the Socceroos expect to feel the force of home support.

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“When 80 per cent of your players play abroad it does have extra significance when they play at home,” coach Ange Postecoglou said. “They play in front of family and friends and also feel that sort of love from the crowd. It certainly helps.

Josh Kennedy celebrates scoring the goal against Iraq at ANZ Stadium in 2013 that sent Australia through to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“In some ways it influences what happens on the pitch with the opposition — they feel the heat of the opposition crowd. It’s something that adds to it.”

Postecoglou doesn’t expect to have to emphasise the size of the occasion to the players.

“They’re not silly, they understand it’s a big game,” he said. “For the most part, our home form is strong and the players draw on the energy of the crowd. You’ve just faced so much adversity away from home with the climate and the pitch, when you come home just having those comforts that you know are going to be there.

“The pitch is in great nick, the crowd will be behind them — usually that means they’re fairly relaxed.”