Australia able to ‘do a job’ in Saudi and qualify for World Cup

A final-gasp 1-0 win over already certified Japan at a sold-out Perth Stadium on Thursday put the Socceroos in pole place to complete second in Asian Group C.

That may robotically punch their ticket to North America subsequent 12 months.

They face Saudi Arabia on Tuesday understanding they solely have to keep away from defeat by 5 targets or extra in Jeddah.

Regardless of the Saudis solely scoring six occasions of their 9 qualifying video games to date, Popovic cautioned in opposition to complacency.

“We have to do a job in Saudi,” he instructed reporters. “We’re in an amazing place however we have now to complete it off.

“It has been a extremely intense interval since I’ve are available in however everybody’s embraced what we’re aiming to do.

“We’re very shut now to reaching our purpose.”

Popovic changed Graham Arnold within the dugout in September and has rejuvenated the aspect, with victory on Thursday their first over Japan since 2009.

When he took over Australia had been fifth within the group and contemporary from a disastrous 1-0 loss to Bahrain and a 0-0 draw with Indonesia, with automated qualification wanting unlikely.

Popovic admitted his feelings ran excessive when Aziz Behich hit the Ninetieth-minute winner, and mentioned beating Japan was testomony to the work everybody had put in.

“It was an exquisite purpose,” he mentioned.

“Though football-wise we have to get higher, and we’ll, in that Ninetieth minute we had six gamers within the field making an attempt to attain a purpose.

“The gamers had been shifting ahead but they had been fatigued and it was an excellent reward for the group.

“We had been robust, saved a clear sheet and have accomplished one thing that many Australian sides have tried to do,” he added.

“They had been on an exquisite run, there is a purpose for that, they’re the most effective and we wish to problem them to be the most effective.”

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