Graham Arnold's message to Anthony Albanese after Socceroos triumph

Graham Arnold has called on Anthony Albanese to give Australians the day off work after the Socceroos qualified for the World Cup in extraordinary scenes.

The Socceroos are heading to their fifth-straight World Cup after beating Peru in penalties on Tuesday morning in their do-or-die playoff game.

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Arnold pulled off one of the biggest tactical gambles in the history of Australian football after he substituted goalkeeper and captain Mat Ryan for the relative unknown of Andrew Redmayne heading into the penalty shootout.

Redmayne then danced his way into Australian sporting folklore as he produced the winning save as the Socceroos won the shootout 5-4 to seal their place in November's World Cup in Qatar.

Speaking after the game, Arnold was lost for words.

However he did take the time to send a message to Prime Minister Albanese.

“I called out Anthony Albanese the other day to give everyone a day off to celebrate this because I believe this is one of the greatest achievements ever to qualify for this World Cup the way we had to do things,” he said.

“It’s been tough, but we did it."

Arnold said no-one in Australia gave the Socceroos a chance after they lost to Peru at the World Cup in 2018.

"I'm quite speechless because no-one in Australia gave us a chance. I'm accountable for the results," he said.

"But I'm a coach and manager, my style is management and getting the best out of players and doing things face-to-face. Being on the training pitch with them.

"During Covid having to train and try to do meetings and talk to the players on Zoom meetings, it's not my style.

"I didn't like it at all and to be honest, there was times when I nearly walked away because it's not my style of coaching.

"The only reason I didn't walk away is because of the players and the sacrifices they've made."

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Everything was against Australia heading into the knockout contest.

The World No.22 side, Peru were highly fancied to beat the Socceroos as they did in 2018, especially with approximately 12,000 fans cheering them on in the stands in Qatar compared to roughly 500 Australian supporters.

Having battled through 120 minutes, the shootout began horribly for the Socceroos with Peru captain Pedro Gallese saving Martin Boyle's opener.

But from there the Socceroos didn't miss, with Aaron Mooy, Craig Goodwin, Ajdin Hrustic, Jamie Maclaren and Awer Mabil all scoring from the spot before Redmayne's triumphant moment.

Redmayne dived to his right and saved Peru substitute Alex Valera's penalty to spark celebrations for the Australians in front of their small supporter block.

Hrustic nearly stole the win for Australia in the 88th minute when he was found by substitute Mabil's cutback, but Gallese just managed to keep the midfielder's shot from squirming in.

Flores had Peru's first shot on target in the first period of extra-time before his header hit the post.

Arnold then turned to Redmayne moments before the final whistle, in a decision which will now go down in Australian sporting folklore.

"Guus Hiddink, I was his assistant in 2005," Arnold said of Australia's famous shootout win over Uruguay in Sydney.

"He was going to do the same thing with Mark Schwarzer and take off Schwarzer and put on Zeljko Kalac.

"It was a risk, but it worked out."

with AAP

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