Saudi heat on as Socceroos approach date with destiny
Australia's 1-0 win over Japan in Perth on Thursday, inspired by a 90th-minute winner from defender Aziz Behich, has put the Socceroos within a whisker of snaring an automatic spot for the 2026 World Cup finals.
There remains just one tiny step to go, and one the Socceroos should pass with flying colours - not losing to Saudi Arabia by five goals or more in Jeddah on Tuesday night (Wednesday morning AEST).
Entering a match with the luxury of being able to lose by four goals and still progress presents a unique challenge in itself.
The Socceroos have a simple answer to ensure there's no complacency - go in with a must-win mindset.
"We haven't qualified. That's the reality of the situation," Socceroos defender Jason Geria said.
"Yes, Saudi have a big task ahead of them if they're to qualify in the second automatic spot, but I think we're all approaching these games as if we have to win.
"It's not just going to be a game where we can't concede X amount of goals. We're here to get three points.
"We're expecting a very attacking, sort of hell-bent, relentless Saudi Arabia.
"But we've played them before, we've watched their games, so we know how they attack and how they can be vulnerable as well."
The Socceroos will have to deal with a hostile home crowd when they take on Saudi Arabia.
And they're already dealing with extreme heat, with the maximum temperature in Saudi Arabia set to be around 39 degrees Celsius for every day the Socceroos are there.
As for the minimum temperatures? A toasty 31 degrees.
Not that the Socceroos will let a bit of heat get in their way.
"For me, I think the will to win, the will to get to a World Cup, that can sort of get you through a 35-degree game," Geria said.
"It can get you through moments. It can get you through times when you feel like it may be a bit too hot."
Geria said the key would be holding off the Saudis for as long as possible.
"The opening 15 minutes definitely, if we were to concede a goal, things could get a bit hairy," Geria said.
"It's definitely going to be one where the first 15 minutes, it's going to be the time for them to pile the pressure on us, to make us nervous, make us sweat, and see if they can mentally get ahead of us in the game.
"But I think we're capable of keeping them to zero again."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
5 hours ago
- Perth Now
Teen star gets Wallaroos nod in Rugby World Cup opener
Teenage fullback Caitlyn Halse will make Women's Rugby World Cup history with Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp unveiling the Australian line-up for their opening pool match in England against Samoa. Yapp has included 10 World Cup debutantes for the Salford clash on Saturday (9pm AEST), while Ash Marsters has been named on the bench in her third tournament. NSW Waratahs rising star Halse, who has 11 caps, is set to become the youngest Australian woman to ever play at the global showpiece. Becoming the youngest debutante in either the men's or women's Test teams in 2024, the 18-year-old will eclipse the previous World Cup record set by Millie Boyle in 2017 (19 years, 82 days) when she takes the field. Katalina Amosa will start at hooker while her older brother Brandon Paenga-Amosa is the reserve rake for the Wallabies, who will take on the Springboks in Cape Town a few hours later. The pair are the third sister-brother combination to play Test rugby for Australia. Kaitlan Leaney will become the 20th captain of the Wallaroos, joining back-rower Emily Chancellor in sharing the duties against Samoa. The Wallaroos will be boosted by the return of prop Brianna Hoy, who will come off the bench for her first game since rupturing her ACL during a training session in Ireland last Coffs Harbour product is one of five changes to the side that defeated Wales at North Sydney Oval earlier this month. Experienced pair, prop Asoiva Karpani and centre Cecilia Smith return to the starting line-up, Adiana Talakai is the back-up hooker while veteran outside back Lori Cramer also comes into the 23 as a utility on the bench. Sevens superstar Charlotte Caslick was ruled out of the tournament following ankle surgery, while injured skipper Siokapesi Palu (foot) is with the squad but was unavailable for selection. The Wallaroos have previously met Samoa once in a Test match for an 87-0 victory in 2010. More recently an Australia A side defeated Manusina 50-22 in Canberra. Yapp said preparation had been smooth in their northern England base. "We've had a good week settling into Manchester with everyone making us feel really welcomed and the players have hit the ground running at training," she said in a statement."We know Samoa will be a tough, physical side and we need to match it with them on Saturday."There are no second chances at a World Cup and for us it starts with a good performance in our first match and building from there."It's also fantastic to see Bri Hoy back in the team. We know how hard she has worked to make a return in time for the World Cup and she is deserving of her spot."We're also really pleased to be able to give co-captaincy to Kaitlan Leaney, who is growing as a leader in the team every day."The Women's Rugby World Cup will be the eighth campaign for the Wallaroos, with their best finish coming in 2010 when finishing third. Following Samoa, the Wallaroos take on USA on August 31 and top-ranked tournament hosts England on September 6 to complete their pool matches. WALLAROOS: Caitlyn Halse, Maya Stewart, Georgina Friedrichs, Cecilia Smith, Desiree Miller, Faitala Moleka, Samantha Wood, Tabua Tuinakauvadra, Emily Chancellor (co-capt), Piper Duck, Michaela Leonard, Kaitlan Leaney (co-capt), Asoiva Karpani, Katalina Amosa, Faliki Pohiva. Reserves: Adiana Talakai, Brianna Hoy, Bridie O'Gorman, Ashley Fernandez, Ashley Marsters, Layne Morgan, Tia Hinds, Lori Cramer.
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Aussie sporting great goes public with ‘hardest secret to keep'
Australian Diamonds star Paige Hadley has announced she is expecting her first child after battling through pregnancy-related illness to lead the NSW Swifts to the Super Netball finals. The 32-year-old, co-captain of club and vice-captain of country, narrowly missed out on playing off for another title when the Swifts fell to eventual premiers Melbourne Vixens in a thrilling preliminary final last month. But Hadley still had reason to celebrate with partner Jordan. 'MUM & DAD… what?!? Still can't believe I'm growing a little human!' Hadley wrote on Thursday. 'Jord and I are beyond excited to be welcoming a new addition to our family in early 2026. 'This has definitely been the hardest secret to keep this season (especially that first trimester sickness), but I'm so grateful for all the love and support so far. 'It's already been such a wild ride, and we're so ready for this next chapter. 'While things will be a little different as I take a break from the netty court (my lower limbs are very grateful), I look forward to hopefully being back out there with the gals when the time is right. 'For now, I'll be the Swifts and Diamonds' No.1 fan girl.' Paige Hadley played out the Super Netball season while pregnant. Credit: AAP Teammates, friends and fans rallied around the couple, with fellow Swifts and Diamonds star — and recent first-time mum — Maddy Proud already looking forward to play dates. 'Best news ever. Lily can't wait to meet her new little bestie,' wrote Proud, who skipped the 2025 season and gave birth to her daughter in May. Hadley, a dual Super Netball premiership captain, dual World Cup winner and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, missed games late in the season with leg injuries before returning for the finals. While she has put her sporting goals to one side to focus on the road ahead, the 2026 Commonwealth Games beginning in July have been earmarked for a comeback. 'Life is all about timing, and this is a really special moment for Jordan and I and we are very grateful for the love and kindness we've received since finding out,' Hadley said in a separate club statement. 'It has been a crazy couple of months but we are feeling extremely blessed and can't wait to grow our little family. 'I feel very fortunate to everyone, especially those within netball community who have been so supportive ahead of what's a really important and special time for my family and I. 'While it is definitely my aim to return to the court for both Swifts and the Diamonds, I am looking forward to some time away as Jordan and I begin our new journey together as parents. 'I still have some big goals I'd love to achieve at the Swifts and at international level, and will look to make these a reality when the time is right. But for now, it's time to focus on my family. I am so excited for the next chapter that lays ahead of me.' Swifts star Maddy Proud became a mother earlier this year, with her premiership co-captain Paige Hadley following suit in early 2026. Credit: Chris Hyde / Getty Images Swifts coach Briony Akle also celebrated the 'joyous news'. 'All of our playing group, coaching staff and wider club staff could not be happier for them,' she said. 'We will absolutely miss Paigey on the court but that feeling is quickly cancelled out by the joy we feel for her. 'This is a huge life milestone for Paige and I know she'll be wonderful at it. She is one of the greatest leaders in Australian sport and I know she'll bring that same energy as a mum. 'While Paige will have some very important time away to begin this new chapter, I know that down the line she still has big dreams she wants to fulfil in the Red Dress. 'She is arguably the greatest Swift of the modern era and, when the time is right, we'll do everything we can to help make them a reality.' Vixens champion Rudi Ellis has been called up to replace Hadley in the Diamonds' squad for three Tests against South Africa and the four-match Constellation Cup series against New Zealand in October.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Stars and swipes: Why one clash will make or break Wallaroos' World Cup
In 2022, the Wallaroos had one player with more than 30 caps in their squad. In this tournament, they have 10. With 15 of the 32-player squad at a second World Cup, and two at a third, the Wallaroos have a combined 567 Test caps. Three time sevens Olympian Charlotte Caslick switched to 15-a-side rugby this year and made the squad, but was unfortunately ruled out due to an ankle injury. On a staffing front, the Wallaroos have gone from a handful of part-time coaches in 2022 to 16 staff at this World Cup, including nine full-time coaches and backroom staff. 'Without a doubt, from a Wallaroos perspective, there's been a real increase of support over the last 18 months to two years, with staffing and, with the players and the contracts they're now on, and all the time and the camps we've had together,' Yapp said. 'But what I want to highlight, as amazing as this is for our preparation, it is what other teams have been doing for years, so we are still trying to close that gap. What we can't do either is have it drop off post-World Cup. This level of support has to continue, and then probably increase again as we get closer to 2029.' Beat the USA and go all the way? The Wallaroos are in pool A with Samoa, USA and hosts England. The top two qualify for the play-offs. Australia are likely to beat world No.13 Samoa, but lose to world No.1 England (more on that later). So for the Wallaroos to reach the quarter-finals, it all rests on the showdown with the USA on August 31 in York. Their probable quarter-final opponent would be Canada. The inconsistent US team is ranked 10th but have a strong rivalry with Australia, and they are pretty evenly matched. Since 2022, each side has two wins from their four Tests. Australia thumped the US 58-17 in 2023, but then gave up a big lead in 2024 to lose 32-25. The Wallaroos were too good in their last clash in May, winning 27-19 in Canberra in a game made famous for Alev Kelter's stomp on Georgie Friedrichs, which earned the star a lenient three-week ba n. That meant she is available for this World Cup showdown. The USA also have social media star Ilona Maher (with 5.2 million Instagram followers) in their side. 'We were pleased with the win [in May],' Yapp said. 'But as cliché as it sounds, USA is a critical game, but we aren't looking past Samoa. We know they're going to come out and throw literally everything at us.' Another Brighton miracle? Women's rugby is big in England, and the Red Roses are a juggernaut, ranked No.1 in the world. They have lost just one of their past 58 Tests, and are on a 27-game unbeaten run. That one defeat was in the 2022 World Cup final against New Zealand, and England's drive for redemption at home has driven unprecedented interest in the tournament, and huge ticket sales. The final at the 80,000-seat Twickenham is already sold out, meaning it will be a women's rugby record crowd, beating the finals of the 2024 Olympic sevens in Paris. Australia face England on September 7 at Brighton Community Stadium and rugby fans will remember that stadium well – it's where Japan famously beat the Springboks at the 2015 men's World Cup. That is regarded as rugby's most famous upset, but if the Wallaroos topple England to break their winning streak, that would have to top it. West is best Australian rugby is often stereotyped as a private school sport, with players predominantly coming from affluent suburbs in Sydney and Brisbane. That is mostly outdated, and the Wallaroos have a proud bunch of 'westies' in their World Cup squad who have chosen to pursue the 15-a-side code instead of playing in the fast-growing NRLW rugby league competition. Five of the Wallaroos hail from western Sydney, and four of them are products of the same club, Blacktown Scorpions: Waiara Ellis, Faliki Pohiva, Faitala Moleka and her sister Manu'a Moleka. Caitlyn Halse is from Camden. Ellis is only 17, Halse and Manu'a Moleka are 18 and Faitala is 20. The Wallaroos squad also has seven players from rural and regional NSW. Cecilia Smith first played rugby for the Leeton Dianas, the sister club to the Leeton Phantoms.
