By Michael Church
(Reuters) – Australia will take on Peru next week for a place at November’s World Cup finals after beating the United Arab Emirates 2-1 on Tuesday in Asia’s final eliminator for Qatar 2022.
Defender Ali Salmeen deflected Ajdin Hrustic’s volley past Khaled Issa with six minutes remaining at Al Rayyan’s Ahmad bin Ali Stadium to keep alive Australia’s hopes of qualifying for a fifth consecutive World Cup finals.
Jackson Irvine had put Graham Arnold’s side in front with a close-range strike in the 53rd minute but Caio Canedo levelled four minutes later with an emphatic finish into the roof of Mathew Ryan’s net.
The Australians increased the pressure throughout the second half and it eventually paid off when Hrustic volleyed Aaron Mooy’s corner towards goal and the deflection off Salmeen proved decisive.
The Socceroos will meet Peru in the same venue next Monday in the first of two intercontinental playoffs to determine the remaining spots at the finals, with New Zealand playing Costa Rica in the final eliminator 24 hours later.
(Reporting by Michael Church in Hong Kong, Editing by Toby Davis)
