Here’s What the Socceroos Need to Do to Qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Update (Sep 1, 2017): The Socceroos may have fallen to Japan 2 – 0, but their route to the World Cup is still clear. The original story follows below.

This evening, Australia’s national men’s soccer team will face off against Japan.

If they win, they will instantly qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. There’s just one problem: Over the past decade, Australia has defeated Japan only once (2009) in nine tries.

In defence of the Socceroos, the two teams have drawn four times over this period. Nonetheless, their history means an uphill climb for coach Ange Postecoglou and his boys in Saitama Stadium, where Australia and Japan will face off tonight (8:35pm AEST).

If you’re furiously chewing your nails over the Socceroos’ prospects of getting an invite to Russia 2018, here’s what you need to watch out for:

Socceroos Win: Australia instantly qualifies for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and you’re spared another week of anxiety.

Socceroos Draw: Australia will get another chance to qualify against Thailand on September 5. However, they’ll need to win that game, unless they want to leave their fate to chance.

Socceroos Lose: The Socceroos will now need to beat Thailand on September 5 and Japan will need to draw with or beat Saudi Arabia on September 6. If Australia falls to Thailand, you better start barracking even harder for Japan against Saudi Arabia; only a thrashing will get Australia over the line. (Should Australia draw with Thailand, Japan need only beat Saudi Arabia to keep us in.)

However, not all is lost, even if everything works against the Group B Socceroos over the next seven days.

Should Australia fail to qualify in the third round of World Cup qualifiers, they will get another chance in round four. However, there they’ll potentially face South Korea, Uzbekistan or even Syria (contenders for third place in Group A) on October 5 and 10.

Winning on October 5 and 10 won’t qualify them for the World Cup... but it will give them a shot against the fourth-placed team in North America’s group. And considering this could mean a faceoff against the USA, Panama or Honduras in November, it’s an ordeal the Socceroos will likely want to avoid.

Good thing they can do so by literally winning one game tonight.

Photo: Facebook.com/Socceroos