At the end of a tense and tense match, Australia scored its ticket for the 2022 World Cup, beating Peru (0-0, 5-4 on penalties), in the intercontinental play-off, Monday June 13. The Socceroos therefore join group D, where they will find France, Tunisia and Denmark. They will be the first opponents of the Blues in Qatar, on November 22. This is Australia’s fifth consecutive appearance at a World Cup.
! WE ARE GOING TO OUR SIXTH WORLD CUP!
Andrew Redmayne is the hero as the Socceroos defeat Peru 5-4 on pens in Doha.
#AUSvPER #GiveIt100 #AllForTheSocceroos pic.twitter.com/ygTSmaJ4uU
— Socceroos (@Socceroos) June 13, 2022
Already victorious in a first play-off match against the United Arab Emirates (1-2), the Australians came out alive from a stormy penalty shootout. Coach Graham Arnold pulled off a crazy bet: he replaced his goalkeeper and captain Matthew Ryan with Andrew Redmayne… just before the session.
On each Peruvian attempt, the Sydney goalkeeper kept gesticulating on his line in order to destabilize the opposing shooters. With success, since Luis Advincula and Alex Valera missed their attempt, erasing the only Australian failure of Martin Boyle.
As in 2018, Australia will be part of the group of France and Denmark. In Russia, the Blues triumphed (2-1) at the opening thanks to a happy goal from Paul Pogba at the end of the match. In five confrontations, the Oceanian selection won once, during the Confederations Cup (1-0 in June 2001). France have won three times and conceded a draw (1-1, in November 2001).
This fall, the Socceroos will try to win their first match in the World Cup since 2010 (2-1 against Serbia), or even join the eighth. A performance already achieved in 2006, with a narrow defeat (1-0) against the future Italian world champion.