woohoooo! c'mon you roos!!!

[redunderthebed]

Australia has qualified for the 2010 football world cup in South Africa. Not as dramatic as last time but the first time in our history that we have qualified for two world cups in a row.

Socceroos earn their ticket to Africa

By Sport Online's Raman Goraya

Posted 2 hours 25 minutes ago
Updated 2 hours 0 minutes ago

Socceroos captain Lucas Neill says Australia deserves to be one of the first countries to qualify for next year's World Cup after its Asian campaign came to a successful end in Doha early this morning.

Australia's scoreless draw against Qatar handed the Socceroos the point they needed to book their spot for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with two qualifying games still remaining.

While the path was almost anticlimactic compared to the drama of the penalty shoot-out against Uruguay in 2005, the back-to-back qualification is no less of an achievement.

"Today was all about how much we wanted to get to South Africa," Neill said.

"We proved that over all the qualifying games and we deserve to be here, we deserve to be one of the first teams in the World Cup."

"It's unbelievable, it's a boyhood dream, second time in a row now Australia is going to the World Cup," he said.

"It's all about us, it's all about the nation creating some more memories like we did in the last one. I can't wait, it's going to be fantastic."

"The green and gold army is there."

Clean sheet

The Socceroos did not concede a single goal in the second group stage and experienced goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, a hero on that fateful night in Sydney, says that led the way to qualification.

"It hasn't sunk it, it is quite emotional," he said.

"From up the front to all the way at the back. We've worked extremely hard. Our foundations have been really solid. Our defence has put us in an unbelievable position.

"For anyone that's doubted us, criticised us for the way in which we played, I think they're a bit naive and a bit greedy.

"All I can say is we're at the World Cup again and we've got 12 months to prepare which is an ideal situation to be in."

Australia endured a period of Qatari pressure in the opening quarter of the match before dominating much of the contest.

Special times

Harry Kewell was in fantastic form down the right side while Tim Cahill was denied an audacious bicycle kick goal by the woodwork.

"Their keeper was big and strong tonight. The chances were there, we didn't put them away but a point was enough," Kewell said.

Kewell, who has been part of the Socceroos' World Cup mission since the gutting play-off elimination by Iran in 1997, said it was time to enjoy the success.

"There was obviously a lot of pressure on us from day one. It's been an up-hill battle but we've survived it," he said.

"There has been a lot of people saying we wouldn't do it, but we proved them wrong and I'm proud of all of the team.

"These times are special and you've got to revel in that because you don't get too many opportunities to qualify for a World Cup."

Kewell said the Socceroos will still be playing to win against both Bahrain and Japan in preparation for South Africa as well as saying thank you to the Australian fans.

"This is the build up for the World Cup, you don't want to be playing bad, you want to be on a good roll, you want to be high in confidence," he said.

The Socceroos take on Bahrain on June 10 at Sydney's Olympic stadium and Japan on June 17 at the MCG.

Japan also qualified with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in Tashkent, while South Korea confirmed its spot with a 2-0 victory over UAE.

We're all going on an African holiday an african holiday an african holiday!.

[JimC]

Well, I'm glad we're in, but there is something a little weird about a sport where a 0 - 0 draw produces such excitement...

[redunderthebed]

Well, I'm glad we're in, but there is something a little weird about a sport where a 0 - 0 draw produces such excitement...

It's football you get used of it.

[JimC]

Well, I'm glad we're in, but there is something a little weird about a sport where a 0 - 0 draw produces such excitement...

It's football you get used of it.

It's soccer - Aussie rules is football...

[klr]

I had been saying for years that the Aussies should join the Asian qualification section, as it would give them the best chance of regular qualification.

Europe and South America remain the toughest areas to get out of, as we know only too well. We might still qualify, but it's a very hard slog.

[redunderthebed]

I had been saying for years that the Aussies should join the Asian qualification section, as it would give them the best chance of regular qualification.

Well until recently there was a very loud anti-australian lobby within the AFC so it was until we really got our shit together domestically and the old farts that didnt like Australia retired that we got our place in the AFC.

It's not just at the socceroos levels its at all levels of football that the teams get decent opposition not 20-0 floggings of *insert random pacific island* so its going to be good for generation to come.

[AshtonBlack]

Gratz to the Roos. I was in an Italian bar during the last one and I was shouting for the Auzzies. (you was robbed!)

[redunderthebed]

Gratz to the Roos. I was in an Italian bar during the last one and I was shouting for the Auzzies. (you was robbed!)

Thanks man and yes we were robbed.

[klr]

I had been saying for years that the Aussies should join the Asian qualification section, as it would give them the best chance of regular qualification.

Well until recently there was a very loud anti-australian lobby within the AFC so it was until we really got our shit together domestically and the old farts that didnt like Australia retired that we got our place in the AFC.

It's not just at the socceroos levels its at all levels of football that the teams get decent opposition not 20-0 floggings of *insert random pacific island* so its going to be good for generation to come.

Exactly: The standard of opposition in Asia is consistently good, but not too tough. Not like all those times when the Aussies would spend months playing against pacific sides who hardly knew what a football looked like, only to eventually end up in a final play-off against some battle-hardened European or South American side.

[redunderthebed]

I had been saying for years that the Aussies should join the Asian qualification section, as it would give them the best chance of regular qualification.

Well until recently there was a very loud anti-australian lobby within the AFC so it was until we really got our shit together domestically and the old farts that didnt like Australia retired that we got our place in the AFC.

It's not just at the socceroos levels its at all levels of football that the teams get decent opposition not 20-0 floggings of *insert random pacific island* so its going to be good for generation to come.

Exactly: The standard of opposition in Asia is consistently good, but not too tough. Not like all those times when the Aussies would spend months playing against pacific sides who hardly knew what a football looked like, only to eventually end up in a final play-off against some battle-hardened European or South American side.

That was half the problem the teams we had to play had played a much higher standard of football that we didnt even get close to until then and then were like deer in the headlights.

[Animavore]

I had been saying for years that the Aussies should join the Asian qualification section, as it would give them the best chance of regular qualification.

Europe and South America remain the toughest areas to get out of, as we know only too well. We might still qualify, but it's a very hard slog.

I wish I was as optimistic as you.

I think we're fucked.