Australia defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1 this Tuesday in Al Rayyan (west of Doha) and will therefore be Peru’s rival in a playoff match on Monday, June 13, with a place at stake for the World Cup in Qatar-2022 (November 21-December 18).
The winner of the fight between Australia and Peru will be part of Group D of the World Cup, along with defending champions France, Denmark and Tunisia.
The Peruvian team, 22nd in the FIFA ranking and fifth in the single group of the South American zone, will aspire to a sixth World Cup qualification on Monday, while the Australians, 42nd in the FIFA ranking, will seek the pass to their fifth World Cup.
“I am 50% happy with the team. I think there is still a lot of room for improvement,” said Australia coach Graham Arnold.
“We will have to play a better game,” he said in reference to the next duel against the Peruvians. “If I ask my players if they have a margin of progression, I think everyone would tell me yes. It is what we need », he indicated.
Australia and the United Arab Emirates had been third in their respective groups of the Asian zone qualifiers, outside the two places that in each key represented the direct ticket to Doha. That is why they had to go to this playoff on Qatari soil.
The Emiratis, who only played one World Cup (Italy-1990), will therefore not be in the tournament that will be played in one of their neighbors in the Gulf.
Disappointment for Caio and Arruabarrena
After a dull first half, the Australians opened the scoring this Tuesday in the 53rd minute, through Jackson Irvine.
The “aussie” advantage did not last long, since four minutes later, the Brazilian nationalized Emirati Caio Canedo Correa equalized, at the center of the omnipresent Harib Abdalla Almaazmi, author of the only two shots between the three sticks in the first 45 minutes.
Australia’s final victory goal was signed by Ajdin Hrustic, in minute 84, leaving thousands of Emirati fans frozen who followed the match at Al Rayyan’s Ahmad Ben Ali stadium, a venue that will host seven games during the World Cup.
The Argentine coach of the United Arab Emirates, Rodolfo Arruabarrena, regretted the elimination of his team and admitted that they lacked “energy in the last fifteen minutes.”
After Wales qualify on Sunday, two places remain to be decided for the first World Cup in history in an Arab country.
One day after Australia-Peru on Monday, June 13, Costa Rica and New Zealand will meet in another intercontinental playoff, in their case to decide which of the two will be part of Group E, which includes Spain, Germany and Japan.
