World Cup 2018 Qualifying: Australia, Peru Qualify for Tourney in Wednesday Play

Australia became the 31st team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, as they overcame Honduras 3-1 in Sydney thanks to a Mile Jedinak hat-trick.

After a goalless draw between the two sides in the first leg in Honduras, the Aussie skipper proved to be the difference in front of his home supporters, as he rattled home a deflected free-kick and a couple of penalties in the second half. Alberth Elis scored a late consolation for the visitors.

The lineup for the competition in Russia next summer was completed later on Wednesday when Peru advanced at the expense of New Zealand.

Read on for a reminder of how the action went, as four sides battled for the two remaining places in football's biggest competition.

Australia 3-1 Honduras

Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Given there were allegations from the Honduras camp that Australia had been spying on the team's preparations for the contest with a drone, this was always going to be a feisty affair.

In the opening stages of the game, the away side put in some hefty tackles on the men in green and gold. In the end, there were seven yellow cards issued in the match.

Still, goalmouth action was at a premium, but the best came in the second period, when Jedinak took control. And perhaps, unsurprisingly, it was a ricocheted shot from a set piece after 53 minutes that gave the hosts a vital lead, sending Stadium Australia wild.

The team's official Twitter account posted the goal:

From that point on, the hosts were in the ascendency and, knowing an away goal from Honduras would be enough to eliminate them, continued coming forward.

They got what their dominance deserved in the 72nd minute, as Bryan Acosta handled in the area and the referee pointed to the spot. Aston Villa midfielder Jedinak tucked home the penalty to give his side a crucial cushion, and he then became an unlikely hat-trick hero with another strike from 12 yards.

The Football Tips Twitter account paid tribute to his display:

Meanwhile, Socceroos icon Tim Cahill posted the following post-match snaps, noting this is the fourth World Cup in succession Australia have qualified for:

As reported by Paul Connolly of the Guardian, with speculation rife about his position ahead of the game, manager Ange Postecoglou was coy when questioned on whether he would be leading the team to Russia.

"I'm going to enjoy tonight," he said. "I owe it to myself, I owe it to my beautiful wife, my boys, my friends and family—they've been on this journey too. I'll sit down with the powers that be over the next few days and make a decision."

Peru 2-0 New Zealand

Karel Navarro/Associated Press

Peru is headed to its first World Cup since 1982 following a 2-0 win over New Zealand on Wednesday evening at Nacional de Lima in Lima, Peru.

According to ESPN Stats & Info's Paul Carr, Peru snapped the longest World Cup drought of any of the 32 teams that have qualified for the finals in Russia.

The triumph was sealed by a 28th-minute goal from Jefferson Farfan and a 65th-minute strike courtesy of Christian Ramos.

All told, La Blanquirroja controlled 60 per cent of the game's possession and didn't concede a shot on goal as the All Whites struggled to find any kind of cohesion in the attacking third.

Now headed to Russia in 2018, Peru will seek to make the most of its first appearance on the game's biggest stage in 36 years.