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Playoff delay

Australian World Cup clash moved two days

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ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- World soccer governing body FIFA on Friday set the dates for a crucial two-leg World Cup playoff between Australia and a South American team.

FIFA said its World Cup organizing committee had ruled Australia will now play its opening game in Melbourne against an as yet undecided South American team on Nov. 20, with the return leg to be played on Nov. 25 in South America.

A tentative date of Nov. 18 was originally penciled in by FIFA for the first leg match.

But with the South American qualifying tournament not concluding until Nov. 14, the fifth-ranked team would have had just three days - including one traveling - before the first match in Australia.

The 25th is the deadline for the completion of all World Cup playoffs in advance of the World Cup draw in South Korea on Dec. 1.

Australia has to win the two-leg series to make the World Cup and with two games remaining in the South American conference, Uruguay is looking like the most likely team to finish fifth and play Australia.

 

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