FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers: Asian play-off between Syria and Australia to be held in Malaysia next month

Sydney: Syria will play Australia in the first leg of their crucial World Cup Asian play-off in Malaysia next month, football authorities announced Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_4012643” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Syria’s players celebrate at the end of their FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification football match against Iran at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. AFP[/caption] Football Federation Australia said it had received official confirmation that the Socceroos would face the war-divided nation at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka on 5 October. They will host the return leg in Sydney five days later. Syria, who have never qualified for the World Cup finals, have been forced to play all their home qualifiers in Malaysia because of the civil war back home. The winner will take on the fourth-placed team from the CONCACAF region in home and away matches in November for a place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.