The Socceroos play host to Saudi Arabia in Adelaide as their World Cup Qualifying campaign hangs on a knife edge leading into the final stages for a spot at Russia 2018. Catch all the live scores, highlights and action on The Roar from 8pm (AEST).
Australia are sitting in third place of Group B in the Asian qualifying bracket, needing a top-two finish to guarantee qualification to Russia next year.
Standing in their way is Japan and tonight’s opponent, Saudi Arabia, who are both three points ahead of the Socceroos with three games to play.
Despite being the only team in Group B without a loss, Australia have come away with four draws from their last five games, leaving them hanging precariously in the standings.
One of those four draws was the last meeting between these two sides in October of last year, when they played out an entertaining two-all tie in Jeddah.
The Socceroos’ last game came against the UAE in Sydney, where the home side was able to finally break their string of draws with a 2-0 win over the Emirates.
For Saudi Arabia, they have lost just one from seven so far and come into this game off the back of three wins from their last four games.
Their last outing was a one-nil win over Iraq in March.
With just five ranking spots between them and three points in the standings, this is shaping up to be an incredibly even contest and one that could be a deciding factor of both sides qualifying campaigns.
Saudi Arabia are looking to make their first World Cup finals since 2006 having missed out on the last two editions, while the Socceroos will be out to make it four in a row after making just one across the first 50 years of World Cup football.
These two have played just seven times in their history with Australia losing only once during the Confederations Cup 20 years ago. The Socceroos have four wins and two draws from the other six fixtures.
The Socceroos will have some big key names in the team, with form overseas players Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic and Tom Juric all in the side as well as veteran Tim Cahill.
Prediction
This is going to be a big matchup between two sides with plenty to play for. They couldn’t be separated in their last clash and it’s looking like heading in the same direction this time.
Home ground advantage will be a big boost for the Socceroos but the Saudis are hungry for points and that top two finish.
1-1 draw
Catch all the live scores, highlights and action on The Roar from 8pm (AEST).
E-Meter
Guest
The behaviour was one of tacit approval of the recent events in London.
j binnie
Guest
Griffo - You may well be correct in your observation. The first 45 minutes of this game gave the impression the players were not aware of how this system should work and such were the positions being taken up, the amount of mis-passing that occurred was almost embarrassing. One began to think that we were watching a "mix-mash" of the erstwhile "play out from the back syndrome" while our opponents,having lost possession, immediately retreated back into their own half to engineer another breakaway, leaving our back three with all the time and space in the world to cross field pass to each other and it wasn't long before they were joined by Leckie and Mooy in this endeavour, thus slowing down the potential Socceroo attacks even more. Leckie showed his forte with his run and cross for the second goal but it was far too little from a player who appeared all at sea when trying to defend. I have said it before but I'm not sure that Mooy and Rogic can play in the same team for they are so similar in style and if they are to be used together they need a "driving force" playing between them to keep the attack gong forward. Jedinak does not fill that role. All in all it was the team's fitness that won them the 3 points last night, the good football overall was sadly lacking. jb.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
If UAE win next week (v Thailand so a real possibility) then they are still in the hunt and will be needing all 3 points against Saudi in order to keep their World Cup dreams alive - indeed to give them a good chance for 3rd. They won't be sitting back.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Apart from the non-penalty I thought the ref had a good game, letting the game flow and keeping control.
Jeff dustby
Guest
Exactly
Bunch of Hacks
Guest
This is the problem with Ange's voodoo formation (i say voodoo formation as he has made it up himself, no major team plays this system). The 4 man box in midfield creates straight passing lanes instead of triangles. Ange needs to move one of the AMC's forward to be a 2 man striker system with rogic playing as the sole 10 in the hole. 3-4-1-2 which is actually a common system
TimO
Guest
Nah it doesn't make his opinion invalid, he's entitled to an opinion regardless. Just because Postecoglu is an Australian doesn't mean we shouldn't hold him to the same standard as we would a foreign coach. If we had a foreign and he got the same results and the team was playing the same way he would be under tremendous pressure.
Raimond
Roar Guru
these people should never be allowed on these shores again
Griffo
Roar Guru
I have to say that Luongo. Mooy, and Rogic on the park is a possibility here. This might be a good thing to try in the upcoming games, but I feel the depth may not be as deep unless Milligan is counted. But Jedinak isn't going to be dropped unless he's injured.
Midfielder
Guest
Second half ... so different to the first half. Not sure on the 3.2.4.1 ... maybe it should be 4.2.3.1
JJ
Guest
Your calling Irvine a "dreadful football player" after 1 poor game! Wow unbelievable
J g
Guest
The fact you couldn't come up with any alternative candidates for postecoglu makes your opinion invalid
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Think of it like the handicap system in golf.
Alex
Guest
Irvine was a disastrous choice! Did he complete even one effective pass during the game???? He should seriously consider retiring from the game immediately and try something else like cleaning toilets for a living, where he might actually find he is useful, because he is an absolutely dreadful football player. And YES, thank god Milligan will be available again as Jedinack is another huge problem and just like Irvine, guilty of continually giving the ball away and putting the defence under constant unrelenting pressure.
wwww wwww
Roar Rookie
Mate, calm it down please. "Because Thailand are $H!T." Based on what Rick? The game where we drew with the Thais in Bangkok? I wasn't going to comment until I saw this: "This is the problem with Australian football: too many people like you follow it." Am I the problem too? Am I not welcome in your vision of Australian football? Where we trash talk our way through Asia? If we were so good, Ange and his men would be sitting at the top of the group by a clear margin crushing our opponents. "The Australian cricket team shows zero respect, which is why they’ve been the most successful team over the past 100 years." Okay. How many countries play cricket to a competitive level? Off the top of my head it's about 8.
bobbym
Guest
GO the Apples!
Alex
Guest
Absolutely NO chance of getting any points from the Japan game, if our idiot of a coach sets up the team the same way as he did tonight!! I'm sick to death of him treating vitally important games as his own private laboratory lab, where he can try out his mad coaching theories for his own selfish purposes! He should be sacked after his diabolical coaching performance tonight.
punter
Guest
Ryan McGowan, how is he even a professional player let alone in te Socceroos side?
Fadida
Guest
We do have better players for midfield, Milligan for Jedinak and Luongo for Irvine. Our inability to play through middle is down to their deficiencies. And the current system
Alex
Guest
NO I wouldn't be happy to lose!..................................But if this guy sets the team structure up against Japan in August like he did tonight, Japan will put six past us and you can kiss goodbye to Russia next year Sunshine!!! This guy is a diabolically bad one dimensional coach!