Muscat gives Australia vital lead

Kevin Muscat, the Wolves defender, and Leeds United striker Harry Kewell played leading roles yesterday in giving Australia a 1-0 win over Uruguay and a fighting chance of qualifying for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1974.

Muscat scored from the penalty spot 11 minutes from the end of the play-off first leg after the substitute Paul Agostino was held back by Paolo Montero as he tried to convert Kewell's low cross.

It was a formidable test of nerve for Muscat, who had failed with the last two penalties he had taken. Much to the relief of the 85,000 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, his luck changed third time around.

The Australians are now quietly confident they can finish the job in the return in Montevideo on Sunday and go to next summer's finals. But the Socceroos' optimism is still tempered by their failure at this stage against Iran in 1997.

Frank Farina, Australia's coach, said: "I was asked previously if I would be happy with 1-0 and I said I would settle for that straight away. But there are still 90 minutes to go in an atmosphere which will be hostile if not worse."

Farina singled out Alvaro Recoba, who almost scored in the second minute with an audacious lob from halfway, as the greatest threat in Montevideo and suggested the Internazionale forward or Kewell would determine the tie.

Kewell and Agostino caused continual problems for Uruguay after the Munich 1860 striker, once of Bristol City, replaced Birmingham's Stan Lazaridis at half-time.

Agostino hit a post with a header and Recoba's long-distance shooting remained the greatest threat to the hosts.

An emotional Muscat admitted afterwards: "I have missed my last two penalties but I still felt confident. I thought I would net a few during the week at that end for some confidence," he added.

Muscat, playing in his home town, added: "My family are here watching and my wife will be watching at home in England with our little girl."

Agostino, who won the vital penalty, said: "When I came on I knew I could do something for the team. For the penalty, he (Montero) was going to have to either bring me down or I was going to have a clean shot on goal."

When asked about the Iran heartache of four years ago, he replied: "I know what the boys went through then and we want to put it right."

Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950, gave a fair account of themselves, but coach Victor Pua was still disappointed with the result. He said: "We had an idea we could go to Montevideo with something more, they got one chance and Australia took it."

However, the defeat got an angry reception back in Uruguay with 20 people injured and 74 people arrested before and during the match.

Thirty thousand Uruguayan supporters gathered in the city centre to watch the match on television, but the atmosphere turned nasty even before the match got underway in the early hours of the morning.

Cars were burned, shops were wrecked and police officers attacked in the disturbances.

AUSTRALIA: Schwarzer; Muscat, Moore, Murphy, Vidmar; Emerton, Okon, Skoko, Lazaridis (Agostino, h-t); Kewell, Viduka.

URUGUAY: Carini; Lembo, Montero, Rodriguez; Tais, Garcia, De los Santos, Guigou; Recoba; Chevanton (Regueiro, 77min), Magallanes (Giacomazzi, 71).

Referee: G Cesari (Italy).