Sports Mole previews Thursday’s World Cup Qualifying – Asia clash between Australia and Saudi Arabia, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Aiming to extend their unbeaten run to three matches, Australia will welcome Saudi Arabia to AAMI Park in Melbourne for an AFC World Cup qualifying third-round match on Thursday.
The Socceroos collected four points across a pair of Group C fixtures in October, whilst the Green Falcons struggled to make an impact on their games last month.
Match preview
Following over six years in charge of the national side and a drab goalless draw at the home of section minnows Indonesia in September, Graham Arnold stepped down as the head coach of Australia, with former player Tony Popovic taking over in the managerial hotseat as the AFC giants look to salvage their qualification campaign.
The 51-year-old managed a near-perfect start to life as Socceroos boss on October 10, when his troops recorded a 3-1 victory in Adelaide over Group C strugglers China, with Lewis Miller, hometown boy Craig Goodwin and Nishan Velupillay all breaching the net of the Dragon Team.
A daunting trip to section leaders Japan was on the agenda five days later on October 15 and a rejuvenated Australia went toe-to-toe with the AFC powerhouses, although a second-half own goal from Ipswich Town defender Cameron Burgess prevented the visitors from collecting three points in Saitama.
Improving massively from a sobering September, the Socceroos’ October results have allowed them to move up to second place in the Group C standings ahead of Saudi Arabia’s visit on Thursday, with Popovic’s men currently five points adrift of runaway leaders Japan, with the top two in the six-team division automatically qualifying for the World Cup.
Australia have won two and drawn one of their last three home matches against Saudi Arabia, with the Green Falcons’ most recent visit to the Oceania giants coming back in November 2021, when both Socceroos captain Matty Ryan and Al-Hilal star Mohammed Al-Rubaie kept clean sheets.
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After just over a year in charge of the 2022 World Cup appearance makers, former Manchester City and Italy manager Roberto Mancini left his post at the Saudi Arabia national team by mutual consent in October, with the Euro 2020 winner managing just seven victories from his 18 matches at the helm.
Although the departure of the Italian will disappoint some supporters, there has been understandable excitement and media attention around his replacement, with Herve Renard returning the Green Falcons hotseat following a spell managing France in the women’s game, including at the Paris Olympics over the summer.
A stalwart on the international scene, the 56-year-old won the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia (2012) and Ivory Coast (2015) before guiding Saudi Arabia to the 2022 World Cup and the biggest upset of that particular tournament during the group stages, with eventual champions Argentina defeated in sensational circumstances.
Focusing on the present, the Green Falcons have serious work to do in order to automatically qualify for their third straight World Cup finals, with Thursday’s visitors to Melbourne currently third in the Group C table, level on points with Australia and Bahrain in second and fourth respectively.
Saudi Arabia failed to find the net across two qualification matches in October, losing 2-0 at home to section leaders Japan before a depressing goalless draw against Bahrain on October 15, when captain Salem Al-Dawsari saw his penalty saved by Ebrahim Lutfalla.
Australia World Cup Qualifying – Asia form:
Saudi Arabia World Cup Qualifying – Asia form:
Team News
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Australia are set to start a number of players who ply their trade in England on Thursday night, including Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree and Sheffield United’s Harry Souttar.
Forced off during the half-time interval in Japan last time out, Luke Brattan could make way for Nashville SC’s Patrick Yazbek in the engine room.
After his penalty miss against Bahrain last month, Saudi Arabia skipper Al-Dawsari will be unable to feature in November due to a foot injury.
The Green Falcons are also without the services of 27-year-old Abdulelah Al Amri, limiting the visitors’ options at the heart of their backline.
A one-time Saudi Pro League winner, Abdulelah Al Malki will be unable to contribute in his country’s games this month because of a muscle injury.
Australia possible starting lineup:
Gauci; Geria, Souttar, Burgess; Miller, Yazbek, Irvine, Bos; McGree, Hrustic, Duke
Saudi Arabia possible starting lineup:
Al Kassar; Hamed, Tambakti, Lajami, Kadesh; Alkhaibari, N Al Dawsari, Al Asmari; Yahya, Radif, Maran
We say: Australia 1-1 Saudi Arabia
Both locked on five points after four matches and with the top-two race hotting up, we are expecting a cagey affair between Australia and Saudi Arabia on Thursday night.
The Green Falcons will be desperate to record a victory during Renard’s first match back at the helm, although we feel that the Socceroos should be good enough to force a share of the spoils in Melbourne.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
