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On a crucial night for Australian football, the Socceroos will have one foot on the plane to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil if they can manage to defeat Oman in Sydney this evening. We’ll have commentary and live scores from 7.30pm AEDT.
The Socceroos have four games left in their World Cup qualifying campaign, three home games and a final away match in Japan.
With the Japanese currently top of the group with 13 points after five matches, they look home and hosed for Brazil.
That leaves one more automotic World Cup qualification spot, for second place in the group, up for grabs with the third-placed team going into a playoff.
At the moment Australia is in second place on five points, having played four games, with Iraq and Oman both also on five points, but having played five games, and Jordan in last spot on four points.
That makes this game all the more important and gaining a win against Oman so vital.
If the Socceroos can beat Oman with their game in hand there there will be a huge sign of relief around the nation and, largely, the pressure will be off.
However, lose this game and the knives will be out for Holger Osieck and qualifying becomes a much more anxious, difficult task.
The Socceroos will be without central defender and captain Lucas Neill to suspension, meaning a makeshift defensive pairing of two out of Robbie Cornthwaite, Mark Milligan or Rhys Williams will probably be installed.
This could be a concern and an area for the Omanis to exploit.
Evergreen Mark Schwarzer will take the captain’s armband and seasoned internationals Tim Cahill and Brett Holman should lead the frontline.
It will up be to the likes of youngsters Tommy Oar, Robbie Kruse and James Holland to provide the verve, enthusiasm and attacking threat from midfield. Off the bench, Osieck may turn to Celtic’s Tom Rogic or Victory veteran Archie Thompson to add some spark.
Oman will be without arguably their best player, former captain Fawzi Bashir, after a disagreement with coach Paul Le Guen. This should boost the Socceroos’ chances somewhat.
Oman may look to play on the break and get bodies behind the ball with Australia desperate for the win.
The underdog Omanis are expecting an aerial assault from the Socceroos and their keeper Ali Al-Hasbi, who plys his trade in England with Wigan, will be busy.
Key players for Oman include the attacker Ahmed Mubarak and the in-form Abdulaziz Al-Muquarterbackali.
The last time these two sides met, in Muscat, the Socceroos were poor in a 0-0 draw. There can be no slip-ups, no mistakes this time round as defeat here would spell disaster for the green and gold.
We’ll have all the action from 7.30pm AEDT, so feel free to lieave a comment in the space below.
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