Australia became the penultimate team to qualify for World Cup 2022 after they <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/06/14/im-no-hero-says-dancing-keeper-as-australia-qualify-for-world-cup/" target="_blank">defeated Peru in a penalty shoot-out</a> in Qatar. Victory in the inter-confederation play-off against the South Americans meant Australia maintained their record of reaching every World Cup finals since 2006. However, it was a far from convincing performance in the AFC qualification process as the Socceroos finished third behind Japan and Saudi Arabia in the second stage and then <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/06/07/uae-heartbreak-after-australia-defeat-ends-world-cup-dream/" target="_blank">narrowly defeated the UAE</a> to reach the play-off final. Australia manager Graham Arnold's decision to replace goalkeeper and captain Mat Ryan with Andrew Redmayne just before the shoot-out against Peru turned out to be an inspired one. The Sydney FC keeper saved Alex Valera's final kick to seal victory. “He's a very good penalty saver and I did something that could affect them mentally,” said Arnold after the match. “They were probably asking themselves the question, 'Why is this guy being brought on, he has to be good'. “Maybe that was the reason they hit the post. It's a one per cent mental effort to trouble the Peru penalty takers. It was a risk but it worked out.” In Qatar, Australia were drawn in Group D alongside France, Denmark and Tunisia. <b>November 22 </b>France v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium (11pm) <b>November 26 </b>Tunisia v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium (2pm) <b>November 30 </b>Australia v Denmark – Al Janoub Stadium (7pm) <b>Second round</b> <b>(Group B)</b> September 10, 2019 <b>Kuwait 0 Australia 3</b> (Leckie 7', 30', Mooy 38') October 10, 2019 <b>Australia 5</b> (Maclaren 6', 19', 90', Souttar 23', 59') <b>Nepal 0</b> October 15, 2019 <b>Chinese Taipei 1</b> (Chen Yi-wei 21') <b>Australia 7</b> (Taggart 12', 19', Irvine 34', 37', Souttar 73', 89', Maclaren 84') November 14, 2019 <b>Jordan 0 Australia 1 </b>(Taggart 13') June 3, 2021 <b>Australia 3</b> (Leckie 1', Irvine 24', Hrustic 66') <b>Kuwait 0</b> June 7, 2021 <b>Australia 5</b> (Souttar 12', Maclaren pen 27', Sainsbury 41', Duke 46', 84') <b>Chinese Taipei 1</b> (Gao Wei-jie 62') June 11, 2021 <b>Nepal 0 Australia 3</b> (Leckie 6', Karacic 38', Boyle 57') June 15, 2021 <b>Australia 1 </b>(Souttar 77') <b>Jordan 0</b> <b>Third round (Group B)</b> September 2, 2021 <b>Australia 3</b> (Mabil 24', Boyle 26', Duke 70') <b>China 0</b> September 7, 2021<b> Vietnam 0 Australia 1</b> (Grant 43') October 7, 2021 <b>Australia 3</b> (Mabil 9', Boyle 49', Duke 89') <b>Oman 1</b> (R. Al-Alawi) 28' October 12, 2021 <b>Japan 2</b> (Tanaka 8', Behich og 85') <b>Australia 1</b> (Hrustic 70') November 11, 2021<b> Australia 0 Saudi Arabia 0</b> November 16, 2021 <b>China 1</b> (Wu Lei pen 71') <b>Australia 1</b> (Duke 38') January 27, 2022 <b>Australia 4</b> (Maclaren 30', Rogic 45+2', Goodwin 72', McGree 76') <b>Vietnam 0</b> February 1, 2022<b> Oman 2</b> (Fawaz 54', 89') <b>Australia 2</b> (Maclaren pen 15', Mooy 79') March 24, 2022 <b>Australia 0 Japan 2 </b>(Mitoma 89', 90+4') March 29, 2022 <b>Saudi Arabia 1</b> (Al-Dawsari pen 65' <b>Australia 0</b> <b>Fourth round</b> June 7, 2022 <b>UAE 1</b> (Caio 57') <b>Australia 2</b> (Irvine 53', Hrustic 84') <b>Inter-confederation play-off</b> June 13, 2021 <b>Australia 0 Peru 0</b> (aet) Australia win 5-4 on penalties