It's required 22 games, taken 29 months and over 250,000 kilometres but Australia finally reached their final destination; the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The longest and hardest qualifying campaign that any team has endured in the tournament's history couldn't derail the Socceroos as they sealed a 3-1 win over Honduras to qualify for their fourth successive World Cup.
For all the pressure and tension surrounding their most important competitive match in the last 12 years, the Socceroos saved their most comfortable win of the latter stages of qualification to last. A superb second-half performance from Australia was capped off with a hat trick for captain Mile Jedinak. There was no shortage of fortune but it was nothing less than Australia deserved after receiving little favours on their gruelling road to Russia. Jedinak was the hero, converting two penalties and a deflected free-kick to ensure Australia will be part of the biggest show on earth.
It didn't start so pretty for Australia as a nervous beginning was so nearly a disastrous one. A heavy challenge over the ball from Matt Jurman on Honduras' Alberth Elis received a yellow card and had it been slightly mistimed, would have reduced Australia to 10 men after two minutes.
That moment of jitters and enthusiasm set the tone for the first half as neither team managed to gain any composure or grip on the contest. The fluidity the Socceroos' found amid the sapping conditions in San Pedro Sula wasn't replicated early in Sydney.
The visitors' game plan to lock down the middle of the park made for unpleasant viewing for anyone other than their coach, Jorge Luis Pinto. They delayed Australia's first clear chance until the 35th minute. A clever back heel from Tim Cahill found the run of Aziz Behich on the left flank whose driven cross landed at the feet of Tom Rogic. The Celtic midfielder shot low for the corner but was denied by another fine save from Escober who continued his form from the first first leg.
By the time the half-time whistle echoed across a tame and placid ANZ Stadium, neither team were any closer to knowing their fate.
More purpose than poise heaped pressure after the restart turned the screws on Honduras and it didn't take much sustained pressure to find an opening and a darting run by Tom Rogic could only be stopped by a foul on the edge of the box.
After such an arduous campaign offered little luck to Australia, fortune finally shone on the Socceroos. A wicked deflection from substitute Henry Figueroa guided Jedinak's free-kick into the net and Australia on the path to Russia as the Socceroos broke the deadlock in the tie.
After 57 minutes of near silence, it brought the 77,060 fans became active once the gravitas sank in. They remained on their feet when Rogic's long-range volley almost achieved the spectacular before Cahill was denied their second by the crossbar with a daring header from the edge of the box.
However, luck shone on the Socceroos once more. ???Argentinian referee Nestor Pitana gave Australia a chance to book their tickets to Russia after blowing for a contentious penalty after ruling Bryan Acosta handled the ball inside the box. After being denied what looked a certain spot kick in the first leg, Jedinak was in no forgiving mood. Thumping a penalty past Escober to book their ticket to Russia.
The Socceroos were gifted another penalty when Palacios hauled Robbie Kruse en-route to goal and yet again, Jedinak made no mistake as Australia sealed their passage to Russia. A late scramble goal by Elis almost went unnoticed as Australia began the celebrations that will go long into the night, and all the way to Moscow in June.
