Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill believes despite the crushing disappointment of victory slipping from their grasp, Australia have the momentum they need to seal World Cup qualification in the next fortnight.
Australia were denied all three points against Group B leaders Japan with a late penalty snatching the home side a 1-1 draw in Saitama on Tuesday night.
The point booked Japan a spot in Brazil, but Australia must now win both their remaining qualifiers – against Jordan in Melbourne on June 11 and Iraq in Sydney on June 18 – to be sure of making next year’s World Cup finals.
Neill admitted the result hurt badly.
But he says the draw the Australian camp would have taken before the match can be the springboard for a third successive World Cup finals campaign.
“Mathematically a win here and a win against Jordan, and we’d have been through,” Neill said.
“We go on. We believe, and we keep believing. We’ve got two home games now, and I don’t think there’ll be the mistakes we made against Oman (in a 2-2 draw in March).
“Now is our time. We have to take the belief and confidence out of this game, the same energy and commitment and do the business now.”
Matt McKay conceded a late penalty for handball, which was cruel for both the left-back and his defensive mates after they had weathered everything Japan’s world-class pair Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda could throw at them.
Honda slotted home the spot-kick in stoppage time to spoil what would have been a deserved clean-sheet for a stoic Australian defence.
The top two teams in the group qualify automatically for Brazil, with third-place facing a difficult route through further Asian and South American playoffs.
Australia can secure second place by winning their remaining matches, but anything less than six points would require results from elsewhere to go their way to ensure qualification.
The Socceroos head for Australia on Wednesday, and are scheduled to arrive in Melbourne on Thursday ahead of the Jordan clash at Etihad Stadium.
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