Socceroos in box seat

THE Socceroos believe they are in the box seat to qualify for next year’s World Cup after their 0-0 first-leg playoff in San Pedro Sula, but so do Honduras.

In terms of two-legged playoffs, the Australians pulled off the more-than-satisfactory result of drawing away from home.

It means that should they beat Honduras in Wednesday night’s second leg in Sydney, the Socceroos will qualify for a fourth successive World Cup.

However, if Honduras was going to be happy with being kept to a draw at its Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano home ground, the 0-0 stalemate variety was its preference.

It now doesn’t have to win in Sydney, with a score draw enough for it to reach Russia 2018 on the away goals rule.

After the match, the Honduras fans at the ground certainly believed their team was more than good enough to avoid defeat in Sydney and score a vital away goal.

“Score draw, no score draw … any scenario that might have happened [people] would have looked at the dangers of that scenario,” Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine said.

“We understand that if it’s a score draw that benefits them. We’ll be approaching the game to win at home.”

Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury said his side would have “probably” taken the 0-0 first-leg scoreline if it was offered to them before the game at Honduras’s intimidating home ground.

“But coming away, I think we deserved the win and I think the boys felt the same way,” Sainbsury said.

“We’re going to go out and challenge anyone who is in front of us. We want to win. That is the main objective every time we play.”

Captain Mile Jedinak said the 0-0 first leg scoreline was “enough for now”.

“Obviously the ideal scenario would have been to win the game, [but] to not concede, and the performance is what matters,” Jedinak said.

“If we scored that would have been great but it is what it is.

“It’s 0-0 and we take it to Wednesday.”

Coach Ange Postecoglou didn’t like the suggestion that Honduras was in a better position to qualify for Russia 2018 heading into Wednesday night.

“If you think that they’ve got the advantage after us coming here playing in these conditions and dominating the game, then you’ve got a different view of life than I have,” Postecoglou said.

“If we play like that at home, especially with some fresh legs, we’ll score goals and take the game to them.”