Syria coach Ayman al-Hakim said Mahmoud al-Mawas's extra-time red card was the turning point as his war-torn team's fairytale World Cup bid ended in the Asian play-offs on Tuesday. Al-Hakim said the rank outsiders would have survived until penalties against Australia if al-Mawas hadn't been sent off for a second bookable offence early in the first extra period. Syria's players were left inconsolable after Tim Cahill's 109th-minute winner sealed it 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate for Australia, who now go into an intercontinental play-off.

Australia's Tim Cahill (R) fights for the ball with Syria's Mahmoud Almawas (L) as Australia defeats Syria in their 2018 World Cup football qualifying match played in Sydney on October 10, 2017. Pic/AFP