Australia win sudden death clash with Peru for W/Cup place

Australia beat Peru in a sudden death penalty shootout on Monday to secure the penultimate free place at the 2022 World Cup finals.

The playoff between the Asian and South American qualifiers had been goalless after 120 minutes and was only decided when Peru’s Alex Valera missed his side’s sixth penalty, giving Australia a 5-4 win at the Ahmad bin Ali stadium in Doha.

The winners, 42nd in the world rankings, claimed their sixth ticket to the World Cup finals and a Group D opening match against defending champions France on November 22.

It was the second time in the past two decades that Australia have beaten South American opponents in a World Cup shootout. They overcame Uruguay to reach the 2006 finals.

Peru, 22nd in FIFA’s list and who beat Australia 2-0 at the 2018 World Cup group stage, were roared on by 10,000 fans, most of whom had flown halfway round the globe for the playoff only to see a frustrating encounter between the rivals.

Australia coach Graham Arnold said he was “speechless” at the upset win after seeing Martin Boyle miss his side’s first penalty before successfully converting their next five spot-kicks.

Australia’s substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne danced like a clown on the goal line in a bid to upset the Peru players and Luis Advincula’s shot cannoned off a post while Valera’s miss set off wild celebrations among the Socceroos and their band of a few hundred supporters.

READ ALSO LaLiga: Count me out of coaching I’ve never understood tactics – Marcelo

Arnold said the move to bring on Redmayne after 119 minutes had been intended to unsettle Peru’s penalty takes, adding that it probably contributed to the penalty misses.

The final place for the finals, that start in Qatar on November 21, will be decided on Tuesday when Oceania champions New Zealand take on Costa Rica who were in the central and north American qualifying contest.