World Cup qualification: Asia

[CY_Boaby]

I believe it does (well, the pundits on the tele at half-time did mention on more than one occasion about the Socceroos having secured an away goal). Shades of Iran 1997?

USA, Panama or Honduras await the winner in another two-legged play-off.

[Satchmo Distel]

That's an easier task than NZ having to beat possibly Argentina, although I don't know if NZ could have gotten this far in Asian qualifying.

[ad hoc]

No comments on the second leg of the Australia Syria game? Half time now and 1-1, cancelling out the first leg score and leaving 45 very tense minutes (or feasibly more, I presume if there are no more goals). Syria scored in the 6th minute to remove Australia's away goal advantage and Cahill scored in the 18th. Since then it's all Australia, but Syria look dangerous on the break

[Wouter D]

Few minutes before full time. Still all tied.

[ad hoc]

Extra time

[tee rex]

Come on Serie A ...

[tee rex]

Sub ref comes on, gives red card to Syria. FIX

[Jah Womble]

94-year-old Tim Cahill bags his second header, surely ensuring that the Aussies grab the berth...

[ad hoc]

Bloody Cahill. I have a faintly irrational (and also faintly rational) hatred of Cahill. It always has to be him doesn;t it?

[Jah Womble]

Bloody hell - that was unlucky!

[cantagalo]

Fuck! Syria hit the post!

[Jah Womble]

Syria within an inch or two of qualifying.

Them's the breaks.

[Uncle Ethan]

Well, that was a fucking relief. Syria unlucky, but lost some friends with outrageous timewasting. Oh and their coach is a loon.

[Satchmo Distel]

Syria needed to win the home leg. Australia would get the breaks at home. But would we have really wanted Assad getting all that reflected glory, even if the team does not "represent" the regime? Syria is an illegitimate state right now; thet's no reflection on the players but the politics are wider than the team.

[Wouter D]

Whichever of Panama, Honduras, and the USA ends up in this playoff with Australia, I'd give the CONCACAF representative a quite decent chance of winning.

[ad hoc]

Syria needed to win the home leg. Australia would get the breaks at home. But would we have really wanted Assad getting all that reflected glory, even if the team does not "represent" the regime? Syria is an illegitimate state right now; thet's no reflection on the players but the politics are wider than the team.

It's complicated though isn't it? I have a good friend from Damascus and following the match with him and his friends through Facebook was very powerful. I don't know how they all feel but I am fairly sure that most of them are very far from being supporters of the regime. Yet they were all out in the centre of Damascus watching in this crowd of hopefulness. Yes Assad would have used the victory and yes there were big schisms in the team. But it wouldn't have been Assad's victory.

[ursus arctos]

I don't have the close relationships that you do, but have been following that discussion through translated press articles. It really is a very interesting and complex issue that says a lot about the complicated relationship that emigres and opposition figures have with national sport teams. It would make for an excellent dissertation topic.

[G-Man]

Syria is an illegitimate state right now;

This thread isn't the place to argue about the finer points of the conflict, but how is it illegitimate? Because Assad is a brutal oligarch who has used great force* to put down a civil war by Islamists? I'm not a defender of the guy, but that doesn't make Syria any less a legitimate state than Spain.

* I'm not persuaded that the charges of Assad's use of chemical weapons has been proven beyond any doubt.

[CY_Boaby]

Aye, that was a nervy one for the Socceroos last night. Conceding early having given the ball away in midfield, it could have gone horribly wrong. Australia are so slow and boring but when they moved the ball forward with pace and whipped in the cross first-time, like they did with the equaliser, you'd think they'd catch on that maybe it's better to play with a bit more tempo. During the 90mins, the 2nd biggest cheer from the home crowd was in the 83rd minute when the 'keeper finally kicked the ball upfield instead of the usual slow build-up from the back.

Agree with the comments upthread about the time-wasting behaviour of the Syrian players in extra-time. They were always going to regret that once they conceded. And then at the full-time whistle, seeing their coach rant at Ange Postecoglou, who let him have his say for around 15 seconds before losing his patience with him what quite amusing.

And it appears Postecoglou will quit after this play-off with Honduras, regardless of whether they qualify or not. It might be best if he goes now.

[Uncle Ethan]

Postecoglou is a polarising figure, even with the set-up. Australia are so awfully one-paced and as I've ranted about previously it is not a good idea to have a possession-based philosophy when ypou can't keep possession but you cannot deny the balls have a man of steel attached. Ange now apparently going to quite even if they qualify.