1 Socceroos seal 2018 World Cup qualification over Honduras

For all the Matildas’ brilliance and Sydney FC’s dominant success across the calendar year, you simply cannot go past qualifying for a fourth straight World Cup, particularly given Australia’s dramatic and prolonged qualification campaign which finally culminated at ANZ Stadium on November 15.

After a goalless first-half, in light of the 0-0 first leg draw in San Pedro Sula, Mile Jedinak was the hero of the night, scoring a rare hat-trick as Australia swept aside Honduras 3-1 in front of 77,060 fans in Sydney. Ange Postecoglou’s Socceroos had made hard work of it, but they had made it!