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Ange: Aussie crowd will get us across the line

Ange Postecoglou (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
8th October, 2017
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The Socceroos are banking on a boisterous home crowd to spur them a step closer to the World Cup.

The 83,500-capacity ANZ Stadium is expected to be roughly half full on Tuesday night, with about 40,000 anticipated to attend the second leg of Australia’s play-off against Syria.

With a 1-1 away draw in hand, a win or goalless draw will secure passage to a final two-legged encounter against the fourth-placed CONCACAF country, likely Panama or Honduras.

Last Thursday’s game in Malacca drew a small but partisan contingent of Syrian supporters who made their voices heard.

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou stressed the importance of having spectators in Australia’s corner for the all-or-nothing showdown.

“It helps enormously,” Postecoglou said.

“When 80 per cent of your players play abroad, it does have extra significance when they play at home in front of family and friends and feel that sort of love from the crowd.

“It certainly helps, and in some ways it influences what happens on the pitch with the opposition – they feel the heat of the opposition crowd.”

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The other key, Postecoglou said, is that his own players don’t allow the occasion to distract from the task at hand.

Fired up and composed in equal measure is ideal.

“They’re not silly, they understand it’s a big game,” Postecoglou said.

“For the most part our home form is strong and the players draw on the energy of the crowd.

“You’ve just faced so much adversity away from home with the climate and the pitch, when you come home just having those comforts.

“The pitch is in great nick, the crowd will be behind them, usually that means they’re fairly relaxed.”

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