Despite Narrow Passage to Qatar, Socceroos Draw Confidence from Road Experience and Solid Qualifying Form
Australia’s journey to the 2022 World Cup was anything but straightforward. Finishing third in their group behind Saudi Arabia and Japan, the Socceroos were forced into the play-offs, where they triumphed narrowly over the United Arab Emirates before facing Peru in the inter-continental play-off. The match became iconic for goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne’s memorable penalty shootout save, which sent Australia to their fifth consecutive World Cup.
What made this qualification particularly challenging for Australia was the nature of their campaign. Due to strict border restrictions, they played 80% of their qualifying matches away from home. Over a prolonged qualifying period that began in September 2019, Australia’s players grew accustomed to playing on the road, a factor that has helped them acclimate to the conditions in Qatar. They are unbeaten in their four qualifiers there and have a strong historical record in the region, with 10 wins, three draws, and only two losses since 2008.
As the Socceroos prepare for Group D, their opening match will see them face defending World Cup champions France — a rematch of their 2-1 loss in Russia four years ago. Following that, Australia will meet Tunisia and Denmark, both of which were also group rivals in 2018. Australia’s path to the knockout rounds seems to hinge on securing a crucial win against Tunisia, as they have not won a World Cup match since 2010.
