Australia and Uruguay face another 90 minutes to decide which team will go to FIFA World Cup Germany 2006. After a fiercely contested first leg in Montevideo, Uruguay will take a deserved 1-0 lead into Wednesday’s second match in Sydney. The home side dominated the first half, going close on several occasions. They should have taken the lead after 27 minutes when Portsmouth FC striker Dario Silva, meeting a corner just 2 metres out, directed his header straight at Middlesbrough’s Mark Schwarzer in the Socceroos goal. Eight minutes later they did take the lead.

Inter Milan’s Alvaro Recoba, who was causing the Australian defenders all sorts of headaches, fired in a brilliant free-kick that Dario Rodriguez powered home at the far post. Roared on by a fanatical home crowd Uruguay pressed for a second goal, but the half ended with Australia getting one of the few chances they managed to create - a free-kick that came to nothing.

The second half started brightly for the Australian’s, Brett Emerton having a shot deflected wide as they pressed Uruguay back in search of an equaliser. The home team weathered the storm and started to reassert themselves. After 63 minutes Recoba, who was in on goal, had his appeal for a penalty waved away by the referee.

Uruguay continued to press and after 80 minutes they could have doubled their lead. But once again Silva saw his header well dealt with by Schwarzer. The game stayed at 1-0 and both teams have everything to fight for in Sydney. Will Australia avenge their loss of four years ago? Or can Uruguay hold out and join all the other previous World Cup winners in Germany next summer? All eyes now shift to Sydney and Wednesday night.

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