Socceroos World Cup Qualification: Australia’s road to Russia just got a whole lot harder

A DEFIANT Ange Postecoglou says he won’t waste time responding to critics despite the Socceroos missing automatic qualification to the World Cup and being hit with a horror playoff path.

AUSTRALIA has been condemned to the World Cup playoffs after Saudi Arabia defeated Japan 1-0 in Jeddah this morning.

And in what is a remarkable story for world sport, the Socceroos will take on Syria in the cutthroat Asian tie next month after the war-torn country scored a dramatic injury time equaliser against Iran to retake third spot in Group A with a 2-2 draw in Tehran. ANALYSIS: Asia no longer happy hunting ground for Socceroos MATCH REPORT: Socceroos v Thailand STUMBLE: Australia needed Mooy of this man CRUEL GAME: Ange’s agony as Socceroos fail to make shots count After the Socceroos could only defeat Thailand 2-1 at AAMI Park last night, the Saudis knew that a win of any kind against the Japanese would see them through to their first World Cup since 2006. It was a nervy night for the 62,000 fanatical Saudis at the King Abdullah Sports City and for the bleary-eyed Australians watching on from the other side of the globe, as the already qualified Samurai Blue did not roll over in Jeddah. But ultimately a scorching strike by substitute Fahad Al-Muwallad in the 63rd minute was enough to send the Green Falcons through and consign the Socceroos to the long-route home. Australia will now play Syria on October 5 and October 10, with the order of the legs and the venues they will be played in yet to be confirmed. “I dare suggest that every qualifying process from here will be a challenging one, the players will grow from this but this won’t affect the belief of the group. They want to see this through,” coach Ange Postecoglou said on Wednesday morning. “We have done this before. We have to give ourselves a chance and get the job done.” BELOW: LISTEN AS MATT WINDLEY AND DAVID DAVUTOVIC DISCUSS WHAT THE OVERNIGHT RESULTS MEAN FOR THE SOCCEROOS Postecoglou also batted away criticism, saying he would pay little attention to his detractors after the setback. “I won’t waste my time responding to criticism, I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, my position is my position,” Postecoglou said. “I’m coach of the national team, it’s a great honour and I’ll see it through. Beyond that the judgement is on me. “The Australian football industry chewed me up and spat me out 10 years ago so this is not new for me. I’ll see it through. “I won’t be pushed into the shadows of Australian football history like others. I have survived worse than this. If anything this motivates me.” WHAT NEXT? Syria’s home game will be played on neutral territory as the war-torn country has not played a home international since December 2010. Their games in the initial stage of qualifying were in Oman, but their games in this most recent stage of qualifying were held in Malaysia. Whoever comes through the Asian playoff will then take on the fourth-placed North American team on November 6 and November 15, which at this stage could still be any of the USA, Panama or Honduras. The Socceroos won’t learn of their opponent until next month. Australia and Saudi Arabia finished level on points after the 10-match qualification phase, a point behind Japan. But the Saudis had a +7 goal difference as compared to Australia’s +5, which was enough to send them through. Given this morning’s result, Ange Postecoglou’s men now know that a three-goal win against Thailand would have been enough to send them through to Russia automatically — a margin that could have so easily been secured had the team not spurned, had blocked or hit the post with the majority of its 45 shots in Melbourne. SAUDI ARABIA v JAPAN Japan made four changes to the side that played Australia in Saitama last week, but given that Shinji Okazaki and Keisuke Honda were among the inclusions it’s not as if this was a B-grade side deployed by Vahid Halilhodzic. And the Samurai Blue made good on their promise to have a crack in Jeddah despite having booked their World Cup spot with the 2-0 win over Australia. Through Gen Shoji and Hotaru Yamaguchi the visitors had the better of the chances in a cagey first half. And when a Hiroki Sakai toe-poke from a corner became the second Japanese shot to be cleared off the line soon after halftime it was clear Japan was continuing to hold sway. But then the momentum turned. Al-Mulwallad came on for Mohammaed Al-Sahlawi straight after halftime and became a menace straight away, forcing Eiji Kawashima into a miraculous close-range save with his leg in the 55th minute. But the Japan No. 1 could not deny Al-Mulwallad eight minutes later when he smashed home his ninth international goal after being played through by Nawaf Al-Abid. Spurred on by the goal and the crowd, it was the hosts who had the better of the rest of the game and the final whistle sparked wild celebrations both on the field and in the stands. This is the fifth time Saudi Arabia has made a World Cup. OTHER RESULTS Earlier, after a dramatic night of simultaneous kick-offs in Group A, Uzbekistan spurned the opportunity to qualify directly after being held to a 0-0 draw by South Korea in Tashkent. Ultimately that result was enough to see the South Koreans through to Russia along with the already qualified Iran. But it looked like the Uzbeks would take the consolation playoff berth until Omar Al Somah scored in the 93rd minute to ensure the status quo on the group table from the start of the night would remain. Al Somah’s is a great story as well considering he only recently returned to the Syrian set-up after a five-year absence. Syria took the lead through Tamer Haj Mohamad in the 13th minute, before a Sadar Azmoun brace either side of halftime appeared to give Iran the win before the late drama. In the group’s other game, China defeated Qatar 2-1 in Doha, but the other results denied it the opportunity to sneak into third. Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou will address the media at 10am on Wednesday morning. THE Socceroos could face a blockbuster World Cup qualification showdown with the USA as both countries’ bids for a World Cup berth go down to the wire. The Socceroos have been forced to the playoff rounds after an agonising 12 hours that saw them edge Thailand 2-1, but Saudi Arabia earn automatic qualification to Russia with a 1-0 win over Japan. The US is currently third in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) qualifying group, and is enduring a similar struggle to progress straight through to the World Cup finals. This morning the US grabbed a point with a late equaliser against Honduras, the match finishing locked at 1-1. Those two countries remain locked on points, with the US (third) comfortably holding Honduras (fourth) on goal difference. The US and Honduras are two points clear of Panama (fifth), who could also grab a World Cup spot should results fall its way in final group matches. Australia next meets Syria in a two-leg playoff series on October 5 and October 10, with Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou saying on Wednesday he believed the first leg would likely be played in Malaysia — Syria’s neutral home venue. The winner of the Socceroos-Syria series will face the fourth-ranked CONCACAF team, with the first leg of that match to be played in North America. AFC fifth-place playoff AUSTRALIA v SYRIA October 5 and October 10 * Away tie to be played first in malaysia, venue for Australian match TBC FIFTH-PLACE AFC TEAM v FOURTH-PLACE CONCACAF TEAM November 6 and November 15 * CONCACAF team hosts first leg ** Socceroos to learn opponent — one of USA, Honduras or Panama — next month MATCHDAY 10 Uzbekistan 0 drew with South Korea 0, Tashkent Iran 2 (Azmoun 45’, 64’) drew with Syria 2 (Mohamad 13’, Al Somah 90+3’), Tehran China 2 (Xiao 74’, Wu 83’) def Qatar 1 (Afif 47’), Doha

Originally published as Socceroos World Cup Qualification: Australia’s road to Russia just got a whole lot harder

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