Australian fans already know that Asian Football Confederations Play-Offs for the FIFA World Cup can be full of drama.
There may be more to come and below are three of the most dramatic.
Saudi Arabia vs Bahrain 2010
The final inter-continental playoff between Bahrain and New Zealand may have received more attention in the international media as the Kiwis reached South Africa by the narrowest of margins but the preceding clash was one to remember.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia took part in an AFC play-off just a month previously and it turned out to be an epic affair. There was little sign of that in a first leg in Riffa that ended goalless.
The action turned to Riyadh and it was expected that Saudi Arabia would do the business and qualify for a fifth successive FIFA World Cup.
When Nasser Al Shamrani, who clashed swords with Australian defenders as Al Hilal’s star striker with Western Sydney Wanderers in the final of the 2014 AFC Champions League final, opened the scoring early in the game, all looked good for the Green Falcons.
Three minutes before the break, Jaycee John equalised for Bahrain and also gave the visitors an away goal advantage. Yet over 50,000 fans in Riyadh were jumping around in the final minute and planning for a trip down under as Hamad Al Montashari restored the Saudi lead.
The celebrations were still going loud and strong as Ismael Abdullatif struck with almost the last kick of the game to send Bahrain to the next stage and an unsuccessful date with New Zealand.
Uzbekistan vs Bahrain 2006
Away fans at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Malaysia last week may have questioned whether Syria deserved a penalty but it was nothing as to what happened in September 2005. Then, Uzbekistan was hosting Bahrain in a first leg in Tashkent.
Already a goal up, a penalty late in the first half opened the door wide to a final clash with Trinidad and Tobago. Server Djeparov fired the kick home yet the referee blew for encroachment.
Instead of ordering a retake as should have happened, an indirect free-kick was given to the surprised yet grateful Bahrain team.
Uzbekistan was furious and demanded a 3-0 forfeit. That was a mistake as instead of a 1-0 win, FIFA ordered a first leg rematch.
Things ended differently and Bahrain ended up going through.
Iran 2-3 Japan 1998
The Larkin Stadium in Johor, Malaysia has seen plenty of drama over the years but no more so when these two giants of the continent met.
The winner in this one-legged affair would go to France while the loser would take on Australia in another play-off.
Masashi Nakayama opened the scoring for the Samurai Blue just before the break but Khodadad Azizi levelled just after.
The legendary Ali Daei put Iran in front two minute prior to the hour and all looked good for a second Iranian FIFA World Cup appearance.
Yet Shoji Jo took the game into extra-time and then after 118 minutes Masayuki Okano sent Japan to a first ever appearance on the global stage. Iran got there too, in the end.
