2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF–AFC play-off)

The 2018 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF–AFC qualification play-off was a two-legged home-and-away tie between the fourth-placed team from the CONCACAF fifth round, Honduras, and the winner of the AFC fourth round play-off, Australia.

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
(CONCACAF–AFC play-off)

Event	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
Honduras Australia 1 3
on aggregate
First leg
Honduras Australia 0 0
Date	10 November 2017 (2017-11-10)
Venue	Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula
Referee	Daniele Orsato (Italy)
Attendance	38,000
Second leg
Australia Honduras 3 1
Date	15 November 2017 (2017-11-15)
Venue	Stadium Australia, Sydney
Referee	Néstor Pitana (Argentina)
Attendance	77,060

The matches were played on 10 and 15 November 2017.^[1] After a 0–0 draw in the opening leg at Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, Australia defeated Honduras 3–1 in the second leg at Stadium Australia, winning the tie by the same margin on aggregate. Australia therefore qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals, reaching the tournament for the fifth time, and fourth in succession.

Overview

The play-off marked the sixth inter-confederation play-off participation for Australia after previously defeating Uruguay in 2005, losing to Uruguay in 2001, losing to Iran in 1997, losing to Argentina after defeating Canada in 1993, and losing to Scotland in 1985. This was also their second play-off appearance as an AFC member, and the first since 1974 (in which Australia qualified for the first time for the tournament).

This was Honduras' first participation in the inter-confederation play-offs; they finished fourth in the final round of the CONCACAF qualification after the United States lost to Trinidad and Tobago 2–1, which caused the United States to not qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

The draw for the order in which the two matches would be played was held by FIFA on 25 July 2015 at the World Cup Preliminary Draw.^[2]

First leg

Honduras	0–0	Australia
	Report

10 November 2017 (2017-11-10)

16:00 UTC−6

First leg

Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula

Attendance: 38,000

Referee: Daniele Orsato (Italy)

Honduras

Australia

GK 22 Donis Escober RB 21 Brayan Beckeles  19' CB 23 Johnny Palacios  37' CB   3 Henry Figueroa LB   7 Emilio Izaguirre (c) CM 20 Jorge Claros  78' CM   8 Alfredo Mejía CM 16 Luis Alfredo López  66' RF   9 Anthony Lozano  73' CF 11 Carlos Lanza  60' LF 12 Romell Quioto Substitutions: MF 17 Michaell Chirinos  60' MF 10 Mario Martínez  90+3'  66' FW 13 Carlo Costly  73' Manager: Jorge Luis Pinto

GK   1 Mathew Ryan RB   8 Bailey Wright CB 20 Trent Sainsbury  48' CB 15 Mile Jedinak (c) LB   6 Matthew Jurman  47' CM 22 Jackson Irvine  74' CM 21 Massimo Luongo  87' CM 13 Aaron Mooy RF   7 Josh Risdon  39'  84' CF   9 Tomi Juric  89' LF 16 Aziz Behich Substitutions: MF 23 Tom Rogic  74' DF   2 Miloš Degenek  84' FW 17 Nikita Rukavytsya  89' Manager: Ange Postecoglou

Assistant referees: Lorenzo Manganelli (Italy) Riccardo di Fiore (Italy) Fourth official: Paolo Tagliavento (Italy)

Second leg

Australia	3–1	Honduras
Jedinak 54', 72' (pen.), 85' (pen.)	Report	Elis 90+3'

15 November 2017 (2017-11-15)

20:00 UTC+11

Second leg

Stadium Australia, Sydney

Attendance: 77,060

Referee: Néstor Pitana (Argentina)

Australia

Honduras

GK   1 Mathew Ryan RB   8 Bailey Wright CB 20 Trent Sainsbury  88' CB   5 Mark Milligan  89' LB   6 Matthew Jurman  2' CM 15 Mile Jedinak (c) CM 13 Aaron Mooy  45+2' RW   7 Mathew Leckie  81' AM 23 Tom Rogic  77' LW 16 Aziz Behich CF   4 Tim Cahill  66' Substitutions: FW   9 Tomi Juric  66' FW 10 Robbie Kruse  77' MF 14 James Troisi  89' Manager: Ange Postecoglou

GK 22 Donis Escober RB 21 Brayan Beckeles CB 23 Johnny Palacios  84' CB   5 Éver Alvarado LB   3 Maynor Figueroa (c)  19' RM 17 Alberth Elis CM 20 Jorge Claros  57' CM   6 Bryan Acosta LM   7 Emilio Izaguirre  42' CF   9 Anthony Lozano CF 12 Romell Quioto  75' Substitutions: DF   4 Henry Figueroa  42'  73' MF 10 Mario Martínez  73' FW 11 Eddie Hernández  75' Manager: Jorge Luis Pinto

Assistant referees: Hernán Maidana (Argentina) Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina) Fourth official: Patricio Loustau (Argentina)