Australia secured the penultimate ticket to the World Cup in a penalty kick thriller. The Socceroos fought for the pitch against Peru for 120 minutes – in the end the Australian goalkeeper was crowned the hero.
Australia secured the penultimate ticket to the World Cup in Qatar in a penalty kick thriller. In the first intercontinental play-off final for World Cup participation, the team from the fifth continent prevailed 5-4 on penalties against South America’s fifth-placed Peru. No goals were scored in regular time and extra time. Late substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne became a Socceroos hero.
The Australian national team, in which the Germany legionnaires Ajdin Hrustic from Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt and Jackson Irvine from second division FC St. Pauli were in the starting line-up, is taking part in a World Cup finals for the sixth time and for the fifth time in a row . In the preliminary round of the tournament in Qatar (November 21st to December 18th) the team meets in Group D against defending champions France, the European Championship semi-finalists Denmark and Tunisia.
The play-off, played on neutral ground at Ar-Rayyan (Qatar) World Cup Stadium, got off to a slow start. Only in the second half did Aziz Behich have good chances for Australia after a nice solo and Hrustic, but missed. The “most important game of our lives”, as Peru’s goalkeeper and captain Pedro Gallese said before the game, went into extra time without a goal.