# 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC–CONMEBOL play-off)

The 1994 FIFA World Cup OFC–CONMEBOL qualification play-off was a two-legged home-and-away tie between the winners of the Oceania qualifying tournament and CONCACAF–OFC play-off winners, Australia, and the second-placed team from the CONMEBOL Group 1, Argentina.

## Overview

The games were played on 31 October and 17 November 1993 in Sydney and Buenos Aires respectively. Australia was hoping to play in the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974, and Argentina was hoping to qualify after reaching the FIFA World Cup Final three times in the previous four FIFA World Cups. The only time that Argentina failed to qualify for a FIFA World Cup was in 1970. This qualification play-off notably immediately followed Argentina's 5–0 defeat by Colombia at home in Buenos Aires on 5 September 1993. The crowd of 43,967 who watched the first leg played at the Sydney Football Stadium was at the time a stadium record crowd for any sporting event.
The series were notable for being the first time Argentina had to play a qualification play-off match in their history. Moreover, the series saw the return of Diego Maradona to the national team after a long dispute with manager Alfio Basile. Some years later, Maradona suggested that drug tests were deliberately avoided during the series, stating that "to play against Australia, the Association gave us a 'fast coffee'" to drink before the match.

## Background

| Argentina | Argentina | Round | Australia | Australia |
| Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Colombia 64201321110  Argentina 631279−27  Paraguay 614167−16  Peru 6015412−81 | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Colombia 64201321110  Argentina 631279−27  Paraguay 614167−16  Peru 6015412−81 | Final standings | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Australia 4400132118  Tahiti 411258−33  Solomon Islands 4013513−81 | Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Australia 4400132118  Tahiti 411258−33  Solomon Islands 4013513−81 |
| | | Final round (OFC) | Opponent | Result |
| | | 1st leg | New Zealand (A) | 1–0 |
| | | 2nd leg | New Zealand (H) | 3–0 |
| | | 1st play-off | Opponent | Result |
| | | 1st leg | Canada (A) | 1–2 |
| | | 2nd leg | Canada (H) | 2–1 (4–1 PSO) |

## Match details
### First leg

| Australia | Argentina |
| GK | 1 | Mark Bosnich |
| DF | 19 | Tony Vidmar | 72' |
| DF | 13 | Mehmet Durakovic |
| DF | 12 | Milan Ivanovic |
| DF | 5 | Alex Tobin |
| MF | 4 | Ned Zelic |
| MF | 8 | Aurelio Vidmar |
| MF | 6 | Paul Wade (c) |
| MF | 11 | Robbie Slater |
| MF | 10 | Jason van Blerk |
| FW | 9 | Graham Arnold |
| Substitutes: ||
| FW | 7 | Dave Mitchell | 72' |
| Manager: ||
| Eddie Thomson ||
| GK | 1 | Sergio Goycoechea |
| SW | 2 | Jorge Borelli |
| DF | 6 | Sergio Vázquez |
| DF | 14 | José Chamot |
| DF | 3 | Carlos Mac Allister |
| MF | 15 | Hugo Pérez |
| MF | 5 | Fernando Redondo |
| MF | 8 | José Basualdo | 70' |
| MF | 10 | Diego Maradona (c) |
| FW | 18 | Abel Balbo | 89' |
| FW | 9 | Gabriel Batistuta |
| Substitutes: ||
| MF | 17 | Gustavo Zapata | 70' |
| DF | 13 | Fernando Cáceres | 89' |
| Manager: ||
| Alfio Basile ||

### Second leg

| Argentina | Australia |
| GK | 1 | Sergio Goycoechea |
| DF | 14 | José Chamot |
| DF | 2 | Sergio Vázquez |
| DF | 6 | Oscar Ruggeri |
| DF | 3 | Carlos Mac Allister |
| MF | 5 | Fernando Redondo |
| MF | 15 | Hugo Pérez |
| MF | 8 | Diego Simeone |
| MF | 10 | Diego Maradona (c) |
| FW | 18 | Abel Balbo | 70' |
| FW | 9 | Gabriel Batistuta |
| Substitutes: ||
| MF | 20 | Gustavo Zapata | 70' |
| Manager: ||
| Alfio Basile ||
| GK | 20 | Robert Zabica |
| DF | 12 | Milan Ivanovic |
| DF | 5 | Alex Tobin |
| DF | 19 | Tony Vidmar | 64' |
| DF | 13 | Mehmet Durakovic |
| MF | 11 | Robbie Slater |
| MF | 10 | Jason Van Blerk |
| MF | 6 | Paul Wade (c) |
| MF | 8 | Aurelio Vidmar |
| FW | 7 | Graham Arnold |
| FW | 9 | Frank Farina |
| Substitutes: ||
| FW | 17 | Carl Veart | 64' |
| Manager: ||
| Eddie Thomson ||

#### Notes

* ↑ Other sources attribute this goal as scored by Gabriel Batistuta

## Broadcasting rights

* Australia: SBS
* Argentina: Canal 9, NexTV! & TeleRed (Only first leg are broadcast live); Eltrece, Canal 30 & Nuevo Siglo Cable TV (Only second leg are broadcast live)
* United Kingdom: Sky Sports
* United States: ESPN (English) and Telemundo (Spanish)