In a crucial AFC World Cup Qualifying clash on Thursday, Australia will host China at the Adelaide Oval, both teams eager to secure their first victories of the third round.
Match Overview
Australia is under pressure after a disappointing September campaign, where they managed to collect just one point from their opening two matches in Group C. They faced an embarrassing 1-0 home defeat to Bahrain on September 5, conceding a last-minute own goal from Harry Souttar despite dominating possession. Following that, the Socceroos were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against Indonesia, further complicating their path to securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup.
With long-serving head coach Graham Arnold resigning after the lackluster results, former Crystal Palace centre-back Tony Popovic now leads the team. Popovic aims to instill a fresh approach and rally the players towards their first win in the qualifiers.
China, managed by Branko Ivankovic, enters the match with similar woes, having lost both of their opening games in Group C against Japan and Saudi Arabia. The most significant defeat came against Japan, where they suffered a humiliating 7-0 loss, followed by a close 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia, where they initially took the lead.
Overall, China has struggled throughout their World Cup qualifying campaign and the recent Asian Cup, winning only one of their last nine matches in 2024. As they travel to Adelaide, they hope to reverse their fortunes but face a tough challenge against an Australian side determined to find their rhythm.
Recent Form
– Australia’s World Cup Qualifying Form:
– 1-0 loss to Bahrain
– 0-0 draw with Indonesia
– China’s World Cup Qualifying Form:
– 0-7 loss to Japan
– 1-2 loss to Saudi Arabia
Team News
Australia will be without Alessandro Circati, who has suffered a cruciate ligament injury, and Conor Metcalfe, who is sidelined with a groin strain. After struggling offensively in their last match, Popovic may opt for attacking changes, potentially introducing players like Awer Mabil and Joshua Nisbet to energize the forward line.
For China, despite conceding twice against Saudi Arabia, they might maintain a defensive pairing of Tyias Browning and Chenjie Zhu. They will be looking to find a balance in their squad to finally secure some points in the qualifying campaign.
Possible Lineups
Australia:
– **Goalkeeper:** Ryan
– **Defenders:** Miller, Souttar, Burgess, Behich
– **Midfielders:** Silvera, Irvine, Baccus, Goodwin
– **Forwards:** Mabil, Taggart
China:
– **Goalkeeper:** Wang
– **Defenders:** Gao, Browning, Zhu, Li
– **Midfielders:** Abduweli, Li, Jiang, Xie
– **Forwards:** Conceicao, Wu
