Captain Mile Jedinak’s second-half hat-trick fired Australia into next year’s World Cup in Russia on Wednesday as the Socceroos swept past Honduras 3-1 in the second leg of their playoff in Sydney.
The Aston Villa midfielder’s free-kick went in off Henry Figueroa on 54 minutes, and he then buried two penalties in the space of 13 minutes — the first when Bryan Acosta was adjudged to have hand-balled Aaron Mooy’s pass in the box, and then after Robbie Kruse was then brought down as he closed in on goal — before Honduras scrambled a late consolation through Alberth Elis.
The final whistle heralded a massive roar from the 77,000 home crowd at the Sydney Olympic stadium as Australia went through 3-1 on aggregate following last week’s 0-0 first leg in San Pedro Sula.
It will be Australia’s fourth consecutive World Cup, and fifth overall.
“It’s overwhelming, to be honest. When you are coaching your own nation the burden of responsibility is even greater; you know what it means to the nation and the game,” said Australia coach Ange Postecoglou.
On Tuesday night, Christian Eriksen scored a hat-trick in visiting Denmark’s 5-1 thrashing of Ireland in Dublin to secure the final European berth.
Denmark trailed to an early Shane Duffy header but took control immediately and struck twice in three minutes, first when Andreas Christensen’s stab hit the post and went in off Ireland’s Cyrus Christie.
That was followed by a superb second from Eriksen, who then made sure of victory with a left-footed effort on 64 minutes and completed his hat-trick following poor defending 10 minutes later.
Nicklas Bendtner added a late penalty for the Danes, who reached their fifth World Cup.
In Johannesburg, Kara M’bodji scored in stoppage time to give already-qualified Senegal a 2-1 win over South Africa in Dakar on Tuesday while hosts Burkina Faso thrashed Cape Verde 4-0 in an inconsequential match in Ouagadougou.
Former France U-20 international Opa Nguette put the host ahead on 55 minutes and Themba Zwane missed a penalty for South Africa before Percy Tau levelled after 65 minutes. M’bodji nodded the 93rd-minute winner following a corner as the visitors once again failed to combat the aerial strength of Senegal at set pieces.
The results: At Dublin : Republic of Ireland 1 (Duffy 6) lost to Denmark 5 (Christensen 29, Eriksen 32, 63, 74, Bendtner 90-pen).
At Johannesburg: Senegal 2 (Nguette 55, M’bodji 90+3) bt South Africa 1 (Tau 65) .
At Ouagadougou: Burkina Faso 4 (Nakoulma 45+1, 58, 63, Diawara 90+3) Cape Verde 0.
At Sydney: Australia 3 (Jedinak 54, 72-pen, 85-pen) bt Honduras 1 (Elis (90+4) .
