Australia 0-0 Peru (AET) Australia won 5-4 on Penalties; Australia became the 31st team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after beating Peru in a penalty shootout to book their place at this year’s finals in Qatar.
Graham Arnold’s team will now take their place in Group D, alongside France, Denmark and Tunisia.
Australia’s Crazy Dancing Goalkeeper
Socceroos substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was the hero, saving Alex Valera’s penalty to give Australia a 5-4 victory. But that doesn’t tell half the story.
Redmayne was a 118th minute substitute, coming on in place of Mathew Ryan, specifically for the spot kicks. A risky decision? Possibly, but boy did it work.
It was Remayne’s technique that lit up the whole tie though (it was a rubbish 120 minutes).
It was crazy. He was dancing around on the line like a lunatic for all 6 penalties he faced. They were antics that made Bruce Grobbelaar’s famous wobbly legs against Roma in the European Cup final back in 1984 look totally amateurish
How he steadied himself to dive when the kicks were taken, I don’t know. But somehow he managed to save the crucial penalty and send Australia through, in what was only his third appearance for his country.
The actual match itself was held at the Al Rayyan Stadium in Qatar. It was a poor match with both teams more interested in not losing, than going for the win. And when you consider what was at stake, that’s understandable.
Edison Flores nearly won the match for Peru in extra time, but his header came back off the post, and Australia lived to fight another day.
The boredom didn't end at the end of extra-time either. It seemed like an eternity between the final whistle and the start of the penalties. I did wonder if the shootout was ever going to take place.
Ultimately, they did, and it was Australia who won through to what will be their fifth successive world cup finals.
2022 World Cup Betting
In the latest 2022 World Cup betting, Australia are a massive 425/1 to win their first ever World Cup. Brazil are the current favourites at 5/1.
To win Group D, Australia are 14/1, while to qualify for the Round of 16, the Socceroos are 10/3. Odds from Betfair Sportsbook, more details available in our Betfair Review.