Diehard Syrian soccer fans have united to spectacularly troll Australia ahead of their crucial do-or-die World Cup qualifier in Sydney on Tuesday night.
The war-ravaged nation has been given a one in ten chance by bookmakers to knock out the Socceroos and move closer to their first World Cup appearance, in Russia.
But Syrian supporters, seemingly unfazed by their team’s slim odds, have taken to Facebook in huge numbers in a bid to get under the skin of Australian soccer fans.
‘What is the difference between an Australian wedding and an Australian funeral? One less drunk at the funeral,’ one man taunted on the official Socceroos page.
Syrian soccer fans (pictured celebrating in Damascus after scoring against Australia last week) have united to troll against Australia ahead of do-or-die World Cup qualifier
Syrians flooded the Socceroos official Facebook page with thousands of taunting comments
‘Syrian warriors will go to Russia, by the way, they will eat you and your friends like roasted Kangaroos,’ added another.
‘We will make you forget the milk that you breastfeed from your mother,’ one man posted.
‘These short shorts of our players are gonna be even longer than your hopes to win the next game dear Australians,’ joked one man, referencing his team’s uniform.
Australian fans, hugely outnumbered by Syrians, attempted to bite back online.
‘Syrians don’t work. They are all on the Socceroos page,’ one man joked.
‘Do you think Syria will play against USA or Panama after beating Australia?,’ an Eagles supporter quickly countered.
‘We will drink whiskey in the middle of Sydney after the victory of our eagles on your yellow snakes,’ wrote another.
The Socceroos will take on the Eagles (pictured) at ANZ Stadium on Tuesday night
Some Australians attempted to bite back on Facebook in response to the onslaught of trolling comments
One Syrian peacemaker took it upon himself to make sure there were no hard feelings between the countries
While the comments were largely light-hearted in nature, one Syrian peacemaker took it upon himself to make sure there were no hard feelings.
‘Dear Australian friends hope you understand the Syrian fans (are) just to make funny and joking (sic). All respect and
peace for your country and good luck for both countries,’ he commented, earning a large number of likes for his post.
The Socceroos will take on the Eagles at ANZ Stadium on Tuesday night.
Australia will need to beat Syria or keep them to a goalless draw to go through to the next stage of World Cup qualifiers, where they will take on Panama, Honduras or USA for a direct entrance to the World Cup.
The tournament takes place in Russia in June and July next year.
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou said it would be ‘flippant’ to underestimate Syria, a side he said had ‘strikers playing in some pretty strong leagues and scoring goals’
As Australia prepare for Tuesday night’s crucial clash, coach Ange Postecouglou said it would be ‘flippant’ to write off the over-achieving, under-resourced side that has recently regained some of its strongest squad members.
‘I don’t know why they would underestimate them, not sure what the basis of that is,’ Postecoglou said.
‘They have strikers playing in some pretty strong leagues and scoring goals. There’s certainly a resilience within the group and if you look at their results – they never got beaten by more than a goal.
‘I think sometimes people are just a little bit flippant.’
As reigning Asian champions, the Socceroos were widely expected to stroll to direct Russia 2018 qualification.
That they have been forced through the arduous play-off route says much about a lack of respect for continental foes and the challenges of gruelling travel and questionable conditions, according to Postecoglou.
But even back at home and set for a pristine ANZ Stadium pitch, to underrate an outfit that lifted in the second half last Thursday to seal a hugely controversial first-leg draw in Malaysia would be at the Socceroos’ peril.
‘They say we should beat everyone, but we’ve never had any evidence of that ever because it’s just too difficult to do in this region,’ Postecoglou said.
‘To play away from home in some of the places you play and just dispose of opposition easily just doesn’t happen.
‘Internally we are not underestimating the competition and the threats they pose, and that’s why we make sure we focus on all the details they bring to the game.
‘I think any reasonable person who knows football, I’d be
Australia will need to beat Syria or keep them to a goalless draw to go through to the next stage of World Cup qualifiers
