Can Australia beat the 5th place Sth american side and qualify for Germany 2006

[almango]

How good is it gonna be having luxury of being able to loose 3 games and STILL qualify !!!!!!

I doubt it will work that way. In the current Asian setup you need to win just about all your games until the final groups as only top team goes through.

[Mikeyraw]

Not true, you can finish first in your second stage group and still qualify.

We should walk the first stage providing we are seeded (Top 8 rankings in asia). If Bahrain can earn a playoff, I would think Australia could. I think we can definetly beat uruguay, the difference is Hiddink, who has the team playing fantastic football.

[Mikeyraw]

Sorry about the double post, I mean third above. I expect guus to play Chipperfield Neill and Milicevic in a three man back four for both legs, with grella playing as a very defensive midfielder in Uruguay, while Cahill replaces him as a very attacking midfielder in Australia making late runs in to the box. I think Australia will suprise Uruguay in a 1-1 draw or 2-1 loss and win 2-0 at home.

[Melbourne Croatia]

Its funny how the South Americans all hate each other, but when it comes down to the crunch, like a qualifier or a final against a non-south american oppnent and they all come together and if they win, they party like won the thing!

[SharpshooterTom]

I guess the advantage for Austrailia is that they're home on the second leg. I expect it to be just as close as it was last time though.

[Argentine Futbol]

Its funny how the South Americans all hate each other, but when it comes down to the crunch, like a qualifier or a final against a non-south american oppnent and they all come together and if they win, they party like won the thing!

Sure, Why not? Why would i cheer for a non -south american? well, i don't know about partying if Uruguay wins. And hate is a strong word. Competitive is a better word. May the best team win. personally, i think 4 days between games is ridiculous for both sides and it shouls be spread out like any other games which is at least 7 days.

[Zviggy]

Sure, Why not? Why would i cheer for a non -south american? well, i don't know about partying if Uruguay wins. And hate is a strong word. Competitive is a better word. May the best team win. personally, i think 4 days between games is ridiculous for both sides and it shouls be spread out like any other games which is at least 7 days.

like any other game? i believe european qualifers are spread between 4 days and most other qualifiers are as well.

But yeah i agree south americans should stick together. I would support my fellow new zealanders in their matches.

[X Box X]

Hopefully Diego Forlan's injury that he sustained in the CL is serious enough to force him out of both legs. If this is the case, then the Socceroos have just been granted a lifeline.

[fedwood]

Hopefully Diego Forlan's injury that he sustained in the CL is serious enough to force him out of both legs. If this is the case, then the Socceroos have just been granted a lifeline.
he is a strange player
he can be absolutely brilliant
or he can be so shocking you want to cry

[Argentine Futbol]

like any other game? i believe european qualifers are spread between 4 days and most other qualifiers are as well.

But yeah i agree south americans should stick together. I would support my fellow new zealanders in their matches.

Dude. Uruguay and Australia are far apart. You can get to anywhere in Europe on a 2 hour flight. The only team that is going to be affected is Australia becuase you guys have two flight to deal with and Uruguay one. $ days is not enough time.

[Zviggy]

DUDE, you said like any other game? so its not like any other game? its like any other game that is long distance travel? No because Bahrain and trinidad and tobago have to do it as well.

[vilafria]

At this time the poll stands at:
No 696 51.71%
Yes 650 48.29%

[almango]

Dude. Uruguay and Australia are far apart. You can get to anywhere in Europe on a 2 hour flight. The only team that is going to be affected is Australia becuase you guys have two flight to deal with and Uruguay one. $ days is not enough time.

Lots of people say we have two flights and in a sense that is true. However most Uruguayan players have the same two flights, Eiurope to South America and thyen to Australia. Australia only has one squad member who does not play in Europe and has to travel to South America from Australia.

[TheTreasurer]

Its all gone wrong for Uruguay.... Injuries galore suspentions and playing against a very physical Australian Team will test them out...... I could see Australia knocking about 2-3 Goals in the second half at Sydney when Uruguays Travel Jetlag problems kick in!!!! everything is going to way of Australia they seem to do no wrong.

[Big Bad Mr. Lee]

I hope Australia qualifies cuzz my bestest buddy Jackson is an Aussie....

AND THEY HAVE HIDDINK!!!!!!!!! so yeah they should win with him as manager cuzz he pwns

[fedwood]

Stupid loser Uruguayans changed the kick off of the game 4 hours ahead to put off the Australians requiring us to get a charter flight and now the Uruguayans charter flight has been cancelled and they asking to move kick off back 4 hours.

ahahahah fat chance

[Zviggy]

stinkypants, where did you hear that?

[SSS-Loaded]

Uruguay beg for new start after plane hitch
By Matthew Hall
November 6, 2005

Uruguay's travel plans for the World Cup play-off second leg in Sydney are in chaos after they failed to charter a private plane for the team to travel to Australia.

The Uruguayan Football Association yesterday asked FIFA to allow a switch to a 5pm kick-off for the first leg in Montevideo after plans to charter an aircraft from an American company fell through. The availability of a plane could not be guaranteed.

The UAF had initially set a 9pm, Uruguay time, kick-off for the first leg in Montevideo next Saturday in retaliation for Australia's refusal to switch the match to Friday, which would have aided Uruguay's recovery plans in Australia.

Now, the Uruguay squad has had to book its team on a commercial flight from Montevideo to Santiago, Chile, directly after the game so it can connect with a scheduled flight with Lan Chile to Sydney - and hope that Australia agree to an earlier start.

The kick-off time is now in the hands of Football Federation Australia, which has chartered a plane so the Socceroos can fly directly from Montevideo to Sydney immediately after the game.

"We understand that Uruguay have requested a change in time of the kick-off with FIFA," an FFA spokesman said from Australia's team headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"FIFA has passed that on to us and we are considering it."

Australia will be at a significant advantage if it refuses the Uruguayan request. If the kick-off stays at 9pm, the South Americans will have to catch a commercial flight on Sunday, the earliest available connection to Sydney. The Uruguayan team would arrive in Australia on Tuesday morning at the earliest, 36 hours before the return match at Telstra Stadium.

With a 5pm kick-off in the first leg, the Uruguay squad would take the 11.10pm Lan Chile flight from Santiago on Saturday, scheduled to arrive in Sydney about 8am on Monday, after an 18-hour flight that includes a stopover in Auckland.

On the pitch, Uruguay have been buoyed by news that four players believed to be injured will be fit for selection against Australia next weekend.

Uruguay coach Jorge Fossati had been concerned about the fitness of striker Diego Forlan, Diego Lopez and goalkeepers Fabian Carini and Sebastian Viera.

Scans yesterday revealed Forlan had muscle damage to his left leg, not a fracture as first thought.

First-choice goalkeeper Carini will not play for Cagliari this weekend and will have intense treatment from Uruguay's medical staff during the week.

Viera is reported to have responded well to treatment and will be fit enough to play if Carini does not return to fitness.

Meanwhile, FIFA will change the referees for the second leg of Australia's World Cup play-off with Uruguay in Sydney on November 16, a Uruguayan newspaper has reported.

The El Telegrafo of Montevideo says the sport's governing body will replace the Belgian officials with a trio from Spain because of concerns from Uruguay that no Spanish-speaking referees had been appointed for either leg.

Danish referees will control the first match in Montevideo next Sunday, Australian time.

Fossati had criticised the choice of referees, believing it gave Australia an advantage as they came from countries neighbouring the homeland of Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink, a Dutchman.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/uruguay-beg-for-new-start-after-plane-hitch/2005/11/05/1130823437890.html

[SSS-Loaded]

Maybe they should have thought of sorting out their charter plane before they tried to stuff us around with the 9pm KO .. stupid Uruguayans.... The FFA better not agree to change it ! I know if the shoe was on the other foot what the Uruguayans would do.....

[fedwood]

Sky News Active
the guy on the Sportsline said it this morning

and he said "fat chance" :)