Uruguay arrived for Wednesday's World Cup playoff decider against Australia on Monday without striker Diego Forlan.

Forlan, the Spanish league's top scorer last season for Villarreal, lasted only 17 minutes of Uruguay's 1-0 first leg victory in Montevideo on Saturday with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.

While the South Americans touched down after taking a commercial flight, Australia arrived a few hours later after chartering their own jet for the 12,000 kilometre trip across the Pacific Ocean.

"The players were well rested and they'll be very prepared for Wednesday night," FFA chief executive John O'Neill said.

"The charter flight could really be the difference between Australia getting there and not getting there."

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