it's quite possible virtually, Roos can beat any South American side, except for Brazil and Argentina. so, Oz can well be in Germany next summer.
May I ask a question however? Sorry for not knowing this, but where do they play this playoff match? I also assume it is a single game, not two legs home and away. I ask because if the game is played in South America, then I would say the Aussies don't stand a chance.
Thank you for clarifying that. I guess with that in mind, I think Australia can pull a draw or even win at home, but they will do far worse in South America. The home field advantage has been huge for qualifying so far in CONMEBOL. Uruguay, Colombia, or Chile, they all have a big advantage considering their opponent plays before intimidating fans. I really see Australia dropping the game in South America by at least 2 goals. Can Australia qualify? I change my mind and say no, they can't.
You are getting way ahead of yourself here. I really think that Solomon has a shot to pull off the upset v. Australia and then get killed by SA #5.
I voted and checked the tally. Basically split 50-50. That's pretty much the chances Australia has anyway. Best of luck.( It may be what'll tilt the scale in its favor)
That would be hysterical. I think Australia will be beat Solomon Islands and then lose to whoever CONMEBOL throws at them (Paraguay, Colombia, Uruguay, maybe Chile). I also think the Kuwait/Bahrain winner win lose to Guatamala, Panama or Costa Rica in that playoff.
The question should not be "CAN Australia beat the 5th place Sth american side and qualify for Germany 2006?", but "WILL they?" Of course they can. Whether they will, we will find out in a few months. Of course, I am hoping that they will, because I have been waiting a long time to see my country represented at the World Cup. However, because I've been watching them for so long, I've also witnessed the many new and unusual ways that they've managed to stuff it up in the past.... This will be the last time we have to ask this question, as Australia be joining the AFC as of next year. I just wish that the Oceania champion had a playoff with CONCACAF's 4th team, rather than CONMEBOL's 5th (quite a different proposition). I would fancy our chances against Guatemala or Trinida & Tobago.
Well it's great to play in the WC .but I wouldn't necessarily want the my NT to get there by the skin of the teeth and then get totally humiliated at the group stage either.
Where's the option to vote: "it depends on who #5 is in South America"? Right now it looks to be either Colombia or Chile. I don't think Australia has a prayer against Colombia, but they could eke it out against Chile. It's also possible 5th place could be Ecuador, Uruguay, or Paraguay--and again it would depend.
I think Australia has a good chance against a South American team if they can play physically strong and can intimidate them. I think the South Americans are more skillful so it can be an intriguing matchup. It really depends on who they get to play. Right now it is wide open. Most likely it will be Chile, Colombia or Paraguay, but also possibly Ecuador or Uruguay. I think they would have the most trouble against Colombia, because of their great defense, and secondly against Uruguay, which has tough physical players with European experience. I think they can physically match up well with Chile,and they probably also match up well against a young Paraguay team. If they get Ecuador it is hard to tell, because it is a challenge to play Ecuador at the altitude of Quito, (even Brazil and Argentina lost there during these eliminatories), so Australia would have to make sure to get a very favorable score at home.
You are on the money with the first point and i dont know what you know about Australian football or even more generally, All Australian teams have had at least a reputation for being physical and mentally tough although this is balanced with a known lack of technical skill in comparison to the sth americans. The fvck up last time in Montevideo was widely attributed to the complete lack of tactical ability of then coach Farina. Funnily enough i dont really worry about our ability to score we have a good creative midfield/ strikers and despite the flaws in the confeds cup we managed 3 against the germans and 2 against your boys(argentina), now i know the difference between the confeds and world cup qualifiers, if we have a fit squad we can score goals both home and away. Kewell, Viduka, Breschiano(?),Emerton, Cahill, Skoko And we also have excellent european experience. All play in europe except few squad players You are absolutely correct about altitude i fear a trip to Bogata, Equador. Fundamentally we dont have a good defence in all of the last few games we have let in goals because of sloppy defending, we lack defenders of international quality. Moore, Neill(sometimes), Lazarides(sometimes) excepted But as all fans must do i hope and dream in fact i think we'll romp it in 5-0 on agg, ah hopes and dreams...hopes and dreams......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz regards, andrew
Kewell is in big trouble. He is never going to be as good as he once was. Thankfully we have other attacking options to replace him, but the big hole continues to be in defence.
The poll is swinging towards the negative by 4 points difference. An uphill battle for Australia (in the poll) Meanwhile , at the flatness of the playing field some of home grown / A- league soccerroos should get some experience in international matches as Australia is joining the Asia federation w/ access to the vastly improving Asia cup.
Its funny how all these yanks who have no idea about Aussie soccer, say that Australia can't qualify. It would interesting if this Poll was if the USA could qualify against the 5th place SA Team!
At least at home, we know we'd have some measure of success. While we haven't played some of these teams in SA, we have beaten Chile twice there in the last 10 years, as well as Paraguay. We even beat Argentina at the Copa America in the last 10 years. In the last five years, the USA's results against the teams in question: Chile US 2 - 1 Chile @ Chile in 2000 Colombia USA 3 - 0 Colombia @ USA in 2005 USA 0 - 1 Colombia @ USA in 2001 USA 2 - 2 Colombia @ USA in 2000 (Gold Cup, Colombia won on PKs) Ecuador USA 1 - 0 Ecuador @ USA in 2002 USA 0 - 0 Ecuador @ USA in 2001 Paraguay USA 2 - 0 Paraguay @ USA in 2003 Uruguay USA 2 - 1 Paraguay @ USA in 2002
I think they certainly can qualify, but they'll have to win big in the home leg and hope for some lucky breaks away. The crowd alone in the away match will be worth a goal or two for the S. American side, and a handful of crap ass calls. And if they have to play at altitude, forget about it... Of course, I am not coming down on Australian soccer, which I think is very good. I think the US would have just as much trouble...probably more so seeing as they'd have to face thousands of the opponent's fans both away and at home.
Well I'm going on vacation . I'll check the polls in 5 weeks when I get back( unless I get hold of a computer before then)Aloha.