3:20am, g'day. Good decision Australia's coach Arnold lives on.
On June 7 Australia will face the UAE in a single-leg clash in Qatar, with the winner to face Peru a week later, also in Qatar, for a place in the tournament proper.
The Socceroos have endured a nightmare slump in recent matches, winning just one of their seven previous attempts – and failing to convert a six-point lead over Japan in the group standings into qualification.