Mile Jedinak returns to send Socceroos to World Cup

MILE Jedinak hadn’t played 90 minutes of football since June, so Ange Postecoglou knew playing the skipper against Honduras would be a gamble. It paid off.

Australia’s hero! Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

WHEN Mile Jedinak missed Aston Villa’s English Championship game against Fulham on October 22 the chances of the Australian captain playing in the World Cup qualifiers against Honduras appeared bleak.

Dogged by a groin injury for months, to that point Jedinak had only played 45 minutes of Villa’s season - a month prior - and had not featured for the Socceroos since June.

Two substitute appearances for Steve Bruce’s men in the following two weeks was enough for Ange Postecoglou to take a gamble on his dogged defensive midfielder.

Australia’s hero! Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

And every sporting fan in Australia this morning is counting their blessings that he did.

Sure, the headline act was his stunning hat-tick - yes, hat-trick - in Wednesday’s 3-1 ANZ Stadium demolition that sealed Australia’s passage to a fourth-consecutive World Cup.

But do not for one second forget how vital his role was in San Pedro Sula last Saturday in keeping the Hondurans at bay on home soil.

And do not discount the sacrifices the 33-year-old will have gone through in recent times to put his body on the line for his country.

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“It’s extra special,” Jedinak said.

“It was our duty as a nation of football players to get this job done.

“We set out on a task two and a half years ago ... and we stuck to our guns, we got here in the end.

“Now it’s time to enjoy this moment and look forward to what is going to be a big 2018.”

All three of Jedinak’s set piece goals came in the second half.

But in a scrappy opening 45 minutes he was just as important.

The match would dictate where the canny captain would position himself and so, if the need arose, he found himself nestled in a back four, otherwise he would be resolutely screening a back three.

In the second stanza he would turn a shock goalscoring hero.

The first, in the 53rd minute, was a free kick that took a wicked deflection off Henry Figueroa.

Deviation notwithstanding, Jedinak was credited with the goal.

His 72nd minute penalty provoked a huge outpouring of emotion from the normally measured and mild-mannered leader, who ran 70 metres to celebrate in front of a particular section of the crowd.

Mile Jedinak reacts after sealing the Socceroos’ spot in Russia.

And his third, again from the spot in the 85th minute, prompted a huge outpouring emotion from his teammates in his direction.

Which, after all he has been through this year, was richly deserved.

“I’ll take them,” Jedinak said of his goals.

“It wouldn’t have mattered who scored, but I’m happy to chip in.

“We got the job done and that’s all that matters.”