MILE’S ON TOP OF THE WORLD
ASTON Villa midfielder Mile Jedinak was the toast of Australia as his hat-trick earned the Socceroos their place at next year’s World Cup.
After a 0-0 draw in the first leg against Honduras, Australia made home advantage count in the second leg of their play-off.
Jedinak, 33, broke the deadline with a deflected free-kick and then kept his composure to score twice from the penalty spot to make it 3-0 before the visitors notched a late consolation.
And, while the Ashes may grab the headlines next week, Jedinak is the hero at present.
“This is special,” he said. “It was our duty as a nation of football players to get this job done.
“We set out on a task two and a half years ago. We stuck to our guns and we got there. I will take
them all, but it does not really matter who scores the goals.”
Bristol City defender Bailey Wright also played the full 90 minutes against Honduras.
Meanwhile, Brentford defender Andreas Bjelland is also Russia-bound after helping Denmark to get the better of the Republic of Ireland.
After a 0-0 draw in Copenhagen, the Danes romped to a 5-1 victory in Dublin. Bjelland played the whole second leg, while Ipswich left-back Jonas Knudsen and Middlesbrough striker Martin Braithwaite were on the bench but unused.
However, it was disappointment for the Republic of Ireland’s EFL men. Middlesbrough goalkeeper Darren Randolph made some decent stops but was unable to prevent Denmark, inspired by Tot- tenham’s Christian Eriksen, running riot.
Boro club-mate Cyrus Christie’s own goal put the Danes level, though he was one of his country’s better performers.
Goalless
Hull midfielder David Meyler and Nottingham Forest striker Daryl Murphy also started for Martin O’Neill’s side, while Sunderland winger Aiden McGeady and Norwich playmaker Wes Hoolahan came off the bench at half-time. There was also play-off pain for Northern Ireland. After going down 1-0 at home to Switzerland in the opening leg of their play-off, they gave it their all in the return in Basel but it finished goalless.
Northern Ireland starters included Michael McGovern (Norwich), Oliver Norwood (Fulham, on loan from Brighton), George Saville (Millwall), Stuart Dallas (Leeds), Jamie Ward (Forest) and Conor Washington (QPR).
Sunderland’s Paddy McNair and Charlton’s Josh Magennis came on as subs.