Buoyed by their 3-0 triumph over Lebanon, the Qantas Socceroos head to Jordan focused on repeating their performance when the stakes are much higher.
Buoyed by their 3-0 triumph over Lebanon, the Qantas Socceroos head to Jordan focused on repeating their performance when the stakes are much higher.
Goals from Tim Cahill, Matt McKay and Archie Thompson snapped Australia-s four-match winless run and have breathed renewed optimism into the Australian camp.
Upon arrival in Amman, the Qantas Socceroos- preparations for their crucial qualifier against Jordan will begin in earnest and full of confidence, such was the manner of the emphatic win at the Saida Municipal Stadium tonight.
“It was a really encouraging performance tonight, we were disappointing against Scotland, we knew we had to be better, we knew we had to put a lot of hard work in and we-ve done that this week,” captain Lucas Neill said after the match.
“We-ve been rewarded for a good preparation and we-ve put ourselves in a perfect place now, ready for Jordan on Tuesday.
“It-s going to be difficult (against Jordan), we-ve witnessed this week there-s still a lot of heat and humidity about so conditions will always play their part.
“We-ve got games now against very passionate nations and teams that are not expected to beat us so they-re coming as the underdog which is something we-ve got to be very careful of.
“Any team that makes the last ten of qualification for the World Cup is a dangerous team and we have to put in a performance similar, if not better, to what we-ve just done tonight to make sure we can take away the three points from Jordan.”
Australia-s next hosts come into Tuesday-s match up on the back of a friendly international of their own, with Jordan having held IR Iran to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday night.
Jordan are desperate for their breakthrough win of Group B, where they currently occupy last position in the five-team section.
While Jordan-s last qualifier ended in a 6-0 defeat away to Japan, their qualification through to this final phase of Asian qualification suggests they are a nation not to be taken lightly.
“It-s a big challenge (against Jordan), the conditions are going to be very, very extreme again,” Mark Schwarzer said, who made history by registering his 100th ‘A- international cap this evening.
“Today was a good preparation for us because the conditions are going to be similar, so hopefully we can go to Jordan and continue where we left off today.”
The Qantas Socceroos resume their FIFA World Cup qualification campaign against Jordan in Amman, at 7pm on Tuesday, 11 September (2am AEST, Wednesday, 12 September).
The Qantas Socceroos return to Australia in 2013, for the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Oman at Sydney-s Stadium Australia at 7.30pm, Tuesday, 26 March, followed by Iraq, at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 18 June.
Tickets for both matches at Stadium Australia are on sale now through Ticketek or via phone, 132 849.