Viduka determined to wipe out bitter memory of Iran fiasco

Mark Viduka looks at the ball during a training session in July 2002. Viduka is using his most painful memory in football to fire himself up for Australia's World Cup play-off crunch with Uruguay.

Mark Viduka is using his most painful memory in football to fire himself up for Australia's World Cup play-off crunch with Uruguay.

The Middlesbrough striker, back on form after a string of injury problems, will be crucial to the Socceroos' hopes of reaching next summer's finals in Germany by overcoming the South Americans over two legs on November 12 and 16.

Viduka has been here before, of course, most notably when the Aussies let slip a two-goal lead against Iran in 1997 to fall at the final hurdle.

They also lost out to Uruguay four years ago when a 1-0 first leg lead was torn to pieces by the South Americans in Montevideo.

But Viduka admits it is the defeat to the Iranians eight years ago that rankles the most with him.

He recalled: "We were winning 2-0 with 15 minutes to go and then an idiot ran on the pitch and the game was stopped.

"All of a sudden we lost our rhythm and they made it 2-2 and we were out.

"I was only in my early 20s at the time and I've never felt hurt like that in football."

Now 30, Viduka knows this could be his last chance of playing in a World Cup and he believes Australia have sufficient quality to make it third time lucky under new coach Guus Hiddink.

"The squad we have now is better than it was four years ago, particularly as a lot of our players have more international experience with club and country," he said.

"Our new manager is amazing, everything about him so far has been superb. He's been to the World Cup finals before, took South Korea to the semi-finals and also managed PSV Eindhoven and Real Madrid.

"You can't help but pick up confidence from a manager like that and to know that someone is in charge with so much experience is important for us players that haven't reached the finals before."