Verbeek said he had no plans to stay up to watch the Bahrain v Qatar clash that started just after 1am here - and was heading for his bed after Australia saw off Uzbekistan 2-0 at ANZ Stadium.

A draw between Australia's rivals would have seen the Socceroos become the first nation to qualify for South Africa 2010.

But that wasn't enough to keep Pim up.

"I go to bed because I don't think I have any influence on the result," he said after the game. "It was a tough week, I can promise you that.

"When I wake up tomorrow I will see what we have got to do.Only one team can get us off second place. It's a good feeling. I think I can sleep well."

At the post-match press conference, Verbeek was revelling in the strength of Australia's position in the group after coming in for criticism for the Socceroos style of play and poor Asian Cup results.

But even though the result didn't go Australia's way, the Socceroos now need just one point from their remaining three games to guarantee qualification.

Even if Pim wasn't willing to stay up, the players were planning a late night to see how their World Cup hopes panned out .

Skipper Lucas Neill admitted he would be watching the game intently - and ready to celebrate if it went Australia's way before he heads back to West Ham

" I might allow myself one glass of champagne," he said. "But then it's back on a plane to the UK and a league game on Saturday."

Sadly Bahrain managed to defeat Qatar 1-0, delaying Australia's qualification for the World Cup until June.