SYDNEY, Australia — While local support will be firmly behind Australia’s Socceroos, wider sentiment may spur the team from war-torn Syria to keep its World Cup dream alive when the teams meet Tuesday in a winner-takes-all qualifier. The outcome of the match will decide which team progresses to an inter-continental playoff against the fourth-place team from CONCACAF — the North and Central American and Caribbean confederation — for a spot at the World Cup in Russia next year. Syria kept its hopes alive with a late penalty which allowed it to snatch a 1-1 draw with Australia in its “home” leg of the two-leg playoff in Malaysia last week. But it now must overcome Australia’s home advantage to continue to lift the spirits of fans in the war-ravaged nation.

Source: National Post October 09, 2017 04:18 UTC