Amid speculation and qualification doubt, Ange Postecoglou’s team selection was spot on, as the Socceroos' 0-0 draw failed to provide a fair reflection of their impressive performance.

In particular, an underwhelming show of strength from the hosts will give Postecoglou’s men the confidence to get the job done on Wednesday night in Sydney. However, the Socceroos now board their chartered flight back to Australia without an away goal. 

Australia

Mathew Ryan - 6.5

Was forced to rethink his distribution, due to the tricky conditions and Honduras’ high pressure from goal kicks. Ryan’s only scare came with ten minutes to go when he pushed the ball over the bar, following a Carlo Costly shot.

Bailey Wright - 7

Confusion erupted when Wright thought he'd won his side a penalty in the first half. Instead, the referee reversed his decision and gave a goal kick. Defensively, Wright was solid and protected Ryan at all costs.

Trent Sainsbury - 8

Confident with the ball at his feet and defensively sound, Sainsbury played his part in a well-drilled defensive unit. With 50 minutes on the clock, the defender picked up a booking, which meant he had to remain disciplined until the end – a hard task considering the conditions.

Mathew Jurman - 6.5

Took zero chances at the back and had to retain his focus throughout after receiving an early booking. He had less time on the ball compared to his defensive teammates, but still defended well.

Massimo Luongo - 8

Was at the heart of many Australian attacks and maintained possession competently. The QPR midfielder came close in the first half, dribbling into the penalty area, before striking the ball at goal with his left foot. Australia’s best player on the night.

Mile Jedinak - 7.5

A brick wall in the Aussie midfield, Jedinak was the calmest head on the pitch. The 33-year-old offered assurance to Mooy and Luongo, allowing them both to play higher up the field.

Aziz Behich - 7

Found heaps of space down the left by exploiting Honduras’ weak defence. However, Behich’s crossing was inconsistent, something he might blame on the unpredictable turf. 

Aaron Mooy - 6.5

Truly a game of two halves for Mooy. In the first, he controlled the pace of the game and accurately picked out his teammates. In the second half, the midfielder looked tired and he wasted too many set pieces.

Jackson Irvine - 6.5

Started the match at 100 km/h – picked up the ball and ran at the host’s defence, forcing them onto the back foot. As the clock ticked, Irvine slowed down and was rightfully the first Aussie to be substituted.

Joshua Risdon - 7.5

Took advantage of Izaguirre's lack of positional sense and saw a lot of the ball down the right flank. Nearly grabbed an assist when he placed an excellent cross onto Juric’s head, only for the goalkeeper to deny the striker.

Tomi Juric - 6.5

Juric will be gutted not to have at least one goal to his name. He should have hit the target with his first effort, but will blame the awful condition of the pitch. He often found himself in goal-scoring positions, but failed to convert successfully.

Subs:

Tom Rogic - 6

Considering it would have taken time to adapt, Rogic entered the match a little too late to make any impact - a decision that wasn’t his fault. After a couple of mistakes, Rogic found his feet and carried the ball forward, winning free kicks and picking out teammates.

Milos Degenek – did not see enough of the ball to receive a match rating.

Nikita Rukavytsya – did not see enough of the ball to receive a match rating. 

Honduras

Donis Escober (GK) - 6

Looked shaky throughout - spilt crosses and shots back into the penalty area. Was lucky to keep a clean sheet, but could be in trouble during the second leg.

Emilio Izaguirre - 6.5

The former Celtic defender covered every blade of grass and was never too far from the ball. However, the Honduras captain conceded a handful of fouls because he was out of position.

Figueroa Alonzo - 6

Should have been booked early on, following an aggressive foul. Slipped on the edge of his penalty area in the 34th minute, providing Tomi Juric with a free shot at goal. Fortunately for the defender, the striker failed to hit the target.

Johnny Palacios - 6

Far too casual with his passing out from the back. Defended well in the air and would be more than happy with a clean sheet.

Brayan Beckeles - 5

By far the clumsiest of the host’s defenders. Picked up the first booking of the match and had to think twice about every 50/50. Spent most of the game chasing Aziz Behich’s tail.

Alfredo Mejia - 6

Had his work cut out in the defensive midfield, with the likes of Aaron Mooy and Massimo Luongo pulling the strings. Tried to meet every attack with a tackle or an interception, but struggled to keep up with the pace and creativity. 

Jorge Claros - 5.5

Another clumsy defensive player, who failed to make much of an impact. The 31-year-old was booked late on after a string of mistimed tackles.

Romell Quioto - 6.5

The 26-year-old, who plays for Houston Dynamo, was Honduras’ biggest threat. The host’s tactic of lumping the ball ahead of the wingers benefitted Quioto, but his final product lacked conviction.

Alexander Lopez - 6

Tried his luck by placing a handful of passes through Australia’s central defence, most of which were intercepted by the visitors. Other than that, the 25-year-old provided no real threat.

Ovidio Lanza - 6.5

Found himself with a chance in front of goal early on, but his poor touch gave away possession. Honduras’ direct style benefitted him down the flank, but Lanza failed to provide his team with a goal or an assist.

Lozano Colon - 5.5

The striker’s heavy touch let him down on a number of occasions, which meant Colon spent most of his appearance in the pocket of Australia’s defence. Was rightfully substituted with 15 minutes to go, making way for a more dangerous striker.

Subs:

Michaell Chirinos - 6.5

Gave the Socceroos something to think about, by adding pace to the Honduras attack. The bobbly pitch hindered the youngster’s daring runs, but he could be one to watch in the second leg.

Mario Martinez - 4.5

Struggled to make as much of an impact as the other substitutes. The 28-year-old’s only key moment came late on, when he conceded a cynical free kick; leaving the door wide open for Aaron Mooy.

Carlo Costly - 6.5

The veteran striker was a welcome sight for the home fans, as he entered the fray with 15 minutes to go. Costly soon forced Mathew Ryan into action, by thumping the ball down his throat – Honduras’ best chance of the game.