Australia defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1 today and will be Peru’s rival in the playoff match on Monday, June 13, with a place at stake for the Qatar-2022 World Cup.
The winner of the cross between Australia and Peru will integrate group D of the World Cup, together with the defending champion France, Denmark and Tunisia.
The Peruvian team, 22nd in the FIFA ranking and fifth in the South American qualifiers, will aspire to a sixth World Cup qualification next Monday, while its rival, 42nd in the FIFA ranking, will seek the pass to its fifth World Cup.
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 granted the direct ticket to Qatar. That is why they had to go to this playoff in Doha.
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.
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, to the center of Harib Abdalla Almaazmi, author of the only two shots between the three sticks in the first 45 minutes.
Australia’s final victory goal was scored by Ajdin Hrustic, in the 84th minute, stunned thousands of Emirati fans who followed the match at Al Rayyan’s Ahmad Ben Ali Stadium, a venue that will host seven matches during the World Cup.
