Melaka: Robbie Kruse is hoping strong home form will be enough for Australia to overcome Syria in the second leg of their FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Continental Play-off on Tuesday after the sides played out a gripping 1-1 draw in Thursday’s first leg at Hang Jebat Stadium.
Kruse scored his first goal for the Socceroos since the 2015 AFC Asian Cup when he diverted Mathew Leckie’s cross-cum-shot into the back of the net from close in five minutes before the interval.
Unbeaten in their temporary home of Malaysia, Syria came back strongly after the restart and, following a period of intense pressure, were awarded a penalty with five minutes to play which Omar Al Soma duly converted as the first leg ended level.
“I think we performed well in this first half,” said Kruse, who is now playing his club football back in Germany with VfL Bocum following a short stint in China.
“They had some chances and half chances in the second half and that’s what’s going to happen when they play route one football.
“They get a lot of balls into the box and they have a really good striker up there, so they’re always going to get half chances, but we defended really well.”
Australia went into the game having not won on the road since beating the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi 13 months ago, although they have only lost once in that period.
But the Socceroos looked comfortable in the first half and, after Kruse had given them a one-goal advantage to take into the break, top scorer Tomi Juric struck the bottom of the right post early in the second half and then again when the ball rebounded back into his path.
That stroke of luck appeared to hand Syria the momentum and, having forged a reputation for netting late goals, Al Soma did just that by powering home a penalty after Leckie was adjudged to have fouled him in the box.
Australia will next host Syria in Sydney on Tuesday and go into the game having won four and drawn one of their five Group B fixtures en route to advancing to the showdown with the West Asians.
“We knew it was over two legs and it’s going to be tough for them on our home ground where we’re really strong,” added Kruse.
“We’ll recover well and if we have to make changes we have a really strong 23-man squad.”
Photos: AFC
Source: the-afc.com