Aussies end 32 years of heartbreak

The Socceroos ended 32 years of failure with a dramatic victory on penalties over two-time champions Uruguay in their play-off for a place in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

The Australians triumphed 4-2 after goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saved penalties from Dario Rodriguez and Marcelo Zalayeta in the shoot-out. The game was locked up at 1-1 on aggregate after extra time.

John Aloisi, who came on as a substitute in the first period of extra time, converted the winning penalty to send his team-mates and the full house of 82,698 delirious with joy.

Australia levelled the tie with a 34th-minute strike from Marco Bresciano but they could not get the second goal they needed for the remaining 90 minutes of the epic match. Uruguay had won the first match 1-0 in Montevideo last Saturday.

It was another triumph for Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, who was only in charge of the Australian team for his fifth game since coming in for Frank Farina in July.

Hiddink will now take Australia to next year's World Cup finals after leading the Netherlands and South Korea to the semi-finals of the last two World Cups.

"We've realised a dream for not only us as players but everyone associated with football in Australia," defender Lucas Neill said. "It's not going to sink in for a while."

Hiddink, who masterminded Australia's epic win over Uruguay, said he was thrilled by his new players' achievement.

"It was a huge challenge because we had not that much time to prepare," he said.

"I had just a few weeks to work with them and when we started preparing in August in Holland, I found a group who were very eager, after 32 years, to get to Germany for this World Cup."

It was the second time that Schwarzer, who plays for Middlesbrough in England, has performed World Cup goalkeeping heroics.

In 1993 against Canada Schwarzer saved two penalties to help the Socceroos to a 4-1 win on penalties here to set up their eventual losing tie with Argentina for the final World Cup spot.

"Why should we fear anyone?" Tim Cahill said. "We've earned a lot of respect tonight, this was the biggest question to answer. As for the World Cup, it's in anyone's hands now — we've got a great squad who have played all over Europe and can mix it with the best."

In a feisty match Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo handed out a total of nine yellow cards — five to Uruguay and four to Australia.

Australia looked on course to win in normal time after controlling play early in the second half. But somehow the Uruguayans, playing without star playmaker Alvaro Recoba and skipper Paolo Montero from late in the second half, took the game to the pot-luck of penalties.

Harry Kewell, who came on as a substitute after 32 minutes, was outstanding in his wide role on the left. Lucas Neill, playing in the heart of the Australian defence, kept Uruguay scoreless.

Uruguay have yet to win in Australia after four attempts stretching over 31 years and have not scored a goal in that time.

Defender Tony Popovic was replaced in the 32nd minute, making way for the introduction of Kewell off the subs bench.

The move galvanised the home team. From a beautiful back-heel flick by Mark Viduka, Kewell mis-kicked his attempted shot, only for Bresciano to volley first-time over Fabian Carini's head into the Uruguayan net in the 34th minute to level the tie.

Australia pressed the Uruguayans early in the second half, with Kewell bossing the left-flank and Tim Cahill coming more into his own as the Socceroos' intricate passing found holes in the defence.

Alvaro Recoba came off in the 73rd minute for Zalayeta and the Uruguayans lost their captain Paolo Montero with apparent hamstring trouble. He was replaced by Marcelo Sosa with 11 minutes left.

However Uruguay weathered the storm and took the game into extra time. They did the better territorially as the Australian challenge appeared to flag.

Richard Morales had a great chance to snatch it with three minutes left of extra time. His angled shot just beat Schwarzer's outstretched hand but was just wide of the post.

But it was Schwarzer and Aloisi in the penalty shoot-out who combined to take Australia to the World Cup finals after a decades-long wait.

"You saw tonight, 83,000 at the game, 20 million Australians following it, finally football is going to kick off in this nation," Aloisi said.

"This year rugby and cricket haven't been the best (in Australia) and finally we've come out on top and we're putting Australian soccer ahead of other sports."

Australia beat Uruguay 4-2 on penalties to qualify for the 2006 World Cup

Australia 1 (Bresciano 34) Uruguay 0

Aggregate 1-1

Penalty shoot-out

Australia 4: Harry Kewell scores, Lucas Neill scores, Tony Vidmar scores,Mark Viduka misses, John Aloisi scores

Uruguay 2: Dario Rodriguez saved, Gustavo Varela scores, Fabian Estoyanoff scores, Marcelo Zalayeta saved

Yellow cards

Australia: Tony Popovic (27), Tony Vidmar (40), Jason Culina (54), Harry Kewell (86)

Uruguay: Mario Regueiro (44), Carlos Diogo (45), Dario Rodriguez (67), Pablo Garcia (75), Richard Morales (119)

Teams

Australia: Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Scott Chipperfield, Tim Cahill, Tony Vidmar, Tony Popovic (Harry Kewell 31), Brett Emerton (Josip Skoko 119), Mark Viduka, Vincenzo Grella, Jason Culina, Marco Bresciano

Uruguay: Fabian Carini, Carlos Diogo, Diego Lugano, Paolo Montero (Marcelo Sosa 81), Dario Rodriguez, Guillermo Rodriguez, Gustavo Varela, Pablo Garcia, Mario Regueiro (Fabian Estoyanoff 53), Alvaro Recoba (Marcelo Zalayeta 72), Richard Morales

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (ESP)