Aussies off to biggest show on earth.

It was a tense first half.

Pim Verbeek played with just the one forward, at home, and he was the smallest on the field, Scott McDonald. But Verbeek crafted another win, and Australia must be off to their third World Cup despite Bahrain winning overnight.

Verbeek sent out a cautious team, maybe, but one designed to win the game over 90 minutes rather than the first ten. And didn't he get it right. The Uzbek's were so tired come 60 minutes. And by then they were 1-0 down.

It was a tough game, Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton, Josh Kennedy all missed out and of course our firepower, and pace in Emerton, was missing. And in the first half we needed that something extra.

Michael Beauchamp lined up in defence and he again looked under confident in the Australian shirt and he nearly conceded on a couple of occasions.

Uzbekistan exposed the Australian lack of pace in the Aussie defence on a couple of occasions but like Alvaro Recoba on that night of nights back in 2005 they failed to find the target. This game was always going to be played over 90 minutes.

Scott McDonald linked well with Marco Bresciano, and Bresciano should have scored.

A tense first half ended with no goals and some concerns around the Aussie performance. It lacked intensity, it lacked creativity. And Harry Kewell showed once more he is no longer a world class left winger. But the Uzbeks are a good side and anyone who expected a flogging clearly hadn't seen the Uzbek's play.

In the second half things changed.

Australia picked up the pace and to great effect. Australia won the ball in the Uzbek half and players started to move the ball a little quicker.

Richard Garcia got more into the game. Carl Valeri stomped his authority all night. Luke Wilkshire got down the right.

Marco Bresciano found space and Josh Kennedy on for Scott McDonald got the goal. More pressure and Garcia was fouled and Harry Kewell converted the penalty.

For me the game was won from the back. Scott Chipperfield and Wilkshire got further forward in the second half and the whole team, the whole performance benefited.

Not a great game, but Australia aren't a great team. But they are organised and they haven't conceded a goal in qualification.

But they won and have probably qualified through Asia at their first attempt.

Australia has rarely produced wonderful flowing teams. We've rarely had competitive games at this level. The game is still developing in this country at the elite level and tonights win was another important milestone in our development.

And what the League, AFL and Union organisers wouldn't give for such a qualification route to a World Cup in their respective codes.

Tim Cahill and Mark Bosnich both mentioned on TV tonight that we don't have a Maradona, yet, but we have Aussie pride and many good players and this group by qualifying are enabling the game to go further in this country as a result.

Bosnich even said once we get more of the better athletes switching or staying with football Australia will produce better players. AFL take note.

We've only had consistent competitive football since we joined Asia...just three years.

So rather than the so-called experts, Fozzie and Cockerill, discussing how we play, it's time to enjoy the fact that a group of Australians have earned the right to play at the World Cup again.

And that includes Pim Verbeek.

They've done it the hard way. 11 games so far across Asia.

Enjoy the win, I did.