World Cup qualifier: Loss to Japan puts emphasis on Socceroos to make play against Thailand

THE Socceroos need to beat Thailand by a cricket score on Tuesday night. But even that might not be enough and could require a favour or two from Japan.

The opening goal proved a real killer for the Socceroos.

FOR 90 minutes on Tuesday night the Socceroos need to chase goals – and plenty of them.

Qualification for the past three World Cups was achieved in wildly varying circumstances, but if Australia get there this time it’s going to be an entirely different route again.

OUTCLASSED: Socceroos no match for Japan

Nothing will ever match the outpouring of 32 years-worth of emotion after the penalty shootout against Uruguay in 2005, but Josh Kennedy’s late winner against Iraq to seal the clinching 1-0 win - also at Homebush – was another night to remember in 2013.

It was a tough day at the office for Brad Smith and the Socceroos.

It’s fair to say 2009’s drab scoreless draw against Qatar in Doha in the middle of the night that sealed a spot in South Africa didn’t exactly have Australians back home jumping out of their beds.

And this one is also going to require some bleary-eyed action.

Because, regardless of the result against Thailand at AAMI Park next week, we will not know if we have secured the second automatic qualifying slot until Saudi Arabia’s clash with Japan in Jeddah is complete at around 4.30am on Wednesday (EST).

In what were almost identical cut-throat circumstances to the match at the same ground four years ago, the atmosphere at Japan’s national stadium was utterly electric.

Yuya Osako kept the Socceroos defence on their toes the whole game.

The word “deafening” is thrown around a lot to describe crowd noise, but this went close - particularly the high pitch screeches that accompanied any Japanese forward foray.

And if the chant “Vamos, Nippon!” isn’t ingrained in your brain for the next month then you’re lucky.

The chanting started off in earnest about two hours before kickoff and only subsided when the time came to boo and hiss the visitors when they were on the ball.

Sporting fans need to put this venue, for a sold out Japan game at the 63,000 capacity ground, on their bucket list.

There was a big Aussie contingent in Saitama for the match.

The thousands of travelling Australian diehards who were there clearly did.

But despite the amazing experience, they will now return home disappointed and nervous – extremely nervous – after the events that transpired on the pitch.

The Aussie cricketers suffered a shock loss to Bangladesh, the Walllabies continue to be beaten by New Zealand and Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic flunked it at the US Open.

This loss, given the calibre of opponent, wasn’t as dire, but it will result in some good old fashioned “squeaky bum time” over the next few days.

Originally published as World Cup qualifier: Loss to Japan puts emphasis on Socceroos to make play against Thailand