MARK Milligan revealed his heartache after sitting through the early morning horror show last month when Saudi Arabia inflicted World Cup qualifying heartache on Australia.

The Socceroos had targeted automatic qualification, hence the September 5 Thailand fixture was due to be a celebration but a narrow 2-1 win left players in limbo.

Most European-based players had taken off to return to their clubs unaware of their World Cup fate, leaving only a handful in Melbourne to watch in the hope that Japan could upset Saudi Arabia.

media_camera Socceroos’ failure to secure direct passage to Russia still stings for Mark Milligan.

A TV was set up in the Socceroos’ hotel, but most players watched it in their rooms while Milligan and James Troisi, as the only two Melbourne-based Socceroos, went home to watch the disaster unfold.

Kicking off at 3.30am, half-time hope turned to dismay just before 5am as Fahad Al Muwallad scored the goal that took the Saudis to Russia and broke collective Socceroos hearts.

“I told myself I wasn’t going to watch, but I had to see how it all went down. It was very tough,’’ Milligan said.

“I went home after the Thailand game and I sat on the couch and had (countless) cups of coffee and tea, waiting for the Japan game to start.

media_camera Milligan says it is vital Australia lay down a marker in their first clash with Syria.

“I was disappointed sitting there because I knew we had it all in our hands a few hours before and to be sitting having to rely on something.

“Once the Saudis scored you knew there wasn’t going to be a fightback from Japan, in 35 degree heat and having already qualified.

“It is what it is. I don’t think we did a great deal wrong during qualifying, there was a few times we let a few results slip but away from home it (happens).’’

The Socceroos enter the playoffs for the first time since 2005, starting with Thursday’s opening leg against Syria at Malaysia’s Hang Jebat Stadium.

Having licked his wounds and refocused, Milligan remains confident of securing a Russia 2018 berth via the challenging playoff route starting with Syria.

“That first game will hopefully set the benchmark for us,’’ he said.

“This is the way we need to go about it now and we’re very confident and looking forward to the challenge. It’s going to be a good experience for us.

“It’s exciting. Not the way we wanted to go about things but it’s now what we face. Tough conditions, they finished the qualifying stages very strongly, they have a lot to play for, but as do we.

“We’ll go over there like we always do, with plenty of confidence and positivity.’’

SOCCEROOS’ DATES WITH DESTINY

FIFA 2018 World Cup playoffs — Asia

Australia v Syria

First leg — Thursday October 05

Hang Jebat Stadium Malacca, Malaysia, 8.30pm AEDT

Second leg — Tuesday October 10

ANZ Stadium, Sydney, 8pm AEDT

* The winner plays the fourth-place team in Concacaf (Central/North America) in November