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Australia make it to the World Cup Finals - by the skin of their teeth.

Failing to make direct qualification, they had to beat UAE to be able to meet Peru with the winner of that match joining Denmark, France and Tunisia.

120 minutes of no score brought on a penalty shoot-out, of which Aus missed the very first one, but went on to win 5-4.

As fans of the England football team know, it is a terrible way to lose a big game. It also feels a little dodgy winning it this way.

the reserve goalie didn't seem to mind

Durhamfootman wrote:the reserve goalie didn't seem to mind

The Grey Wiggle?

GarlicJam wrote:Australia make it to the World Cup Finals - by the skin of their teeth.

Failing to make direct qualification, they had to beat UAE to be able to meet Peru with the winner of that match joining Denmark, France and Tunisia.

120 minutes of no score brought on a penalty shoot-out, of which Aus missed the very first one, but went on to win 5-4.

As fans of the England football team know, it is a terrible way to lose a big game. It also feels a little dodgy winning it this way.

The part I watched Peru looked the better side, but fair play to the Aussies beating a SA side to advance.

Australian football has not improved in the way it was hoped it would from the early 2000's. With very few players in the top leagues in europe we have no players now of the calibre of Shwarzer, Emerton, Cahil, Kewel, Viduka or Jedinak. At present this lack of talent is really showing in the national team. They will be lucky to get a point at the WC.

Sadly it seems Football Australia is unable to address the problem. The hope was the A League would increase the quality but if anything it has hindered development.

Feels like turning back time for Aus to qualify via a playoff v a S.American side. I expect they were faced with altitude when possible in the old days.

England getting massacred by a pub team

Hungary aren't a bad team.....................unlike England at the moment!

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Feels like turning back time for Aus to qualify via a playoff v a S.American side. I expect they were faced with altitude when possible in the old days.

I think tbf they got Uruguay a few times, and that's pretty flat.

Weirdly considering their horrendous home conditions, teams like Bolivia rarely get through. Although they occasionally trounce a big fish at 4,000 meters in el alto....most recently when they sloted 6 past Argentina a few years back.

I watched a game once in the SA qualifiers with Bolivia. Everytime someone kicked it long the ball just kept on floating off...and teams run 10 yards then collapse dead.

I mean, having been to Bolivia, even walking can leave you breathless without a decent few days rest on arrival, playing 90 minutes of aerobic high intensity sport seemed pretty mad.

0-4

They've scored with every attack I've seen them have!

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Feels like turning back time for Aus to qualify via a playoff v a S.American side. I expect they were faced with altitude when possible in the old days.

Using the old South Africa Rugby playbook? It rarely fails the Bokke.


On your point, Yuppie, does Australia have any players in the EPL, La Liga, Serie A or Bundesleague? The only thing my (football deaf) ear has heard lately is about an Australian manager...

Mooy was a lower league PL player but had a big wage move to China. Ryan plays in La Liga (previously PL). Hrustic is in Germany at Frankfurt...

That's it really. Had a few in the team playing who are league 1 (third level) in England, so I'm general it's a poor quality team.

very much so.

As a headline mentioned yesterday, France will be quaking in their boots...

Australia is a sporting nation that punches above its weight, so I'm sure if it cared that much, it would do something about it

I put the footie highlights on the planner, then saw the score and quickly knocked them off again

what a nonsense. 4 matches played and 1 goal scored... which was a late pen

SG has excelled himself. Just as well that no-one gives a toss about the nations league or there'd be hell on, because relegation looms