Miracle of Sydney? Weakened Syria eye World Cup upset against confident Australia

The Socceroos host the war-torn country in a winner-takes-all second leg clash

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The tie is level after the first leg between Australia and Syria in their World Cup qualifying play-off. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:24pm, 9 Oct 2017Updated: 9:30pm, 9 Oct 2017

Syria will rely on their trademark fighting spirit to keep their World Cup “miracle” alive against Australia on Tuesday, as the Socceroos look to ride a wave of home support.

The Syrians were fortunate to grab a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Asian play-off in Malaysia last week, courtesy of a controversial late penalty that left Australia fuming.

But it was enough to maintain a remarkable qualifying campaign that has defied Syria’s brutal civil war, thanks largely to a steely resolve instilled by coach Ayman al-Hakim.

Syrians wave their national flag as they celebrate scoring in the first leg of the Fifa World Cup 2018 qualifier against Australia. Photo: AFP

It now comes down to 90 minutes at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, with the winners going into a two-legged clash with the fourth-placed team from the Concacaf federation – currently Panama.

“Our match with Australia in Sydney is difficult, and although we’ll be missing five players (through injuries or suspension), we are used to playing outside of our land,” said al-Hakim.

“I say to our fans: what we have achieved so far is not only an achievement, but a miracle, and we will push with all our force to continue our journey on the path of achieving our dream.”