Saudi Arabia's Slim Defeat to Australia Delays World Cup Dreams
Saudi Arabia's national team faced a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Australia in the Group C final round of the AFC 2026 World Cup qualifiers at Jeddah's Alinma Stadium on Tuesday, delaying their qualification to the Asian next phase in October.
Forward Abdulrahman Al-Oboud opened the scoring for the Green Falcons almost 20 minutes into the first half, igniting hopes among fans that Saudi Arabia could secure a crucial victory. However, Connor Metcalfe equalized for Australia just before halftime, shifting the momentum of the match, while just three minutes after the break, Mitch Duke headed in a goal, giving Australia a 2-1 lead.
This goal was decisive as Saudi Arabia struggled to regain control of the match.
Despite creating multiple goal-scoring opportunities, including a notable penalty save by Maty Ryan against Salem Al-Dawsari, the Green Falcons could not find the back of the net again. Australia's defense held firm, securing the vital second spot in the group and guaranteeing their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The Road Ahead for Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia needed to win by at least five goals to qualify directly for the World Cup. Although they fell short, the team can take pride in their performance and growth throughout the qualifiers. They will now shift their focus to the upcoming Gold Cup in the USA, where they will compete against strong teams.
This tournament will provide valuable experience and preparation ahead of the final World Cup qualifying matches later this year.
With this victory, Australia secured the last automatic qualification slot for the 2026 World Cup. They join already qualified teams such as Iran and Japan, along with Jordan and Uzbekistan, who will make their World Cup debuts.
As Saudi Arabia reflect on this setback, they remain determined to improve and secure their place in the World Cup. The journey continues, and the Green Falcons will strive to rise to the occasion in the next phase of qualifying.
Short link :
Post Views: 15
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
14 hours ago
- Arab News
Apathy and anger cloud US team a year out from World Cup
MIAMI: A run of four straight losses, including a 4-0 hammering from Switzerland on Wednesday, has left Mauricio Pochettino and his US team feeling the wrath of critics a year out from the World Cup they will co-host. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The US head into their opening game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday having lost on home soil to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March before friendly losses to Turkiye and the debacle against the Swiss. 'I think it is the most embarrassed I have been for the US national team in a long time,' said Kasey Keller, who played in goal for the US 102 times between 1990 and 2007. While there were plenty of American fans venting similar feelings on social media after the loss, what will perhaps be more concerning for the US Soccer Federation is supporters voting with their feet and not attending games. There were thousands of empty seats in Nashville for the Switzerland defeat after poor turnouts for March's games in Los Angeles. 'There's just a sense of apathy around the United States men's program and I don't think that's a hot take,' former striker Taylor Twellman told NBC Sports. Alexi Lalas, a star of the US team the last time they hosted a World Cup in 1994, has built a career in 'hot takes' for Fox Sports but even he was struggling to fire himself up for a Star Spangled rant after the latest disappointment. 'I'm having a hard time even conjuring up that and that makes a little sad. In the past when I was angry at what was going on, I felt compelled to express it and now they are not even worth that, not worth me expressing how disappointing this is right now,' he said on his podcast 'State of the Union'. Pochettino has been forced to field a largely second string squad in this month's games with the likes of Tim Weah and Weston McKennie on Club World Cup duty with Juventus while captain and talisman Christian Pulisic has opted to take some rest along with some other members of the first choice squad. That latter decision prompted fierce criticism from some ex-players, including Landon Donovan, the country's all-time joint top scorer who during commentary of Portugal's win in the UEFA Nations League hit out at the absentees. '[Ronaldo is] 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off,' he said. That led to a sarcastic reply on social media from Pulisic's father Mark who posted a reminder of Donovan's own 'sabbatical' from the US team. But there is also pressure mounting on Pochettino, the Argentine former Tottenham Hotspur manager, who was appointed to the US role in September. The coach said he would take the blame for the showing against Switzerland where the US were 4-0 down by halftime. 'It's my responsibility the choice of the starting 11. I wanted to give minutes to certain players, but we were never in the game,' the Argentine said. While Pochettino's job may be safe, some are wondering if he might not need some assistance. 'It looks like he doesn't know the team, it looks like he doesn't scout the players, has no idea of the pieces he has at his disposal,' said former USA forward Hercules Gomez on You Tube. 'The US Soccer Federation, why not place somebody who has some experience with the player pool to help Pochettino out because it looks like he has no idea who his players are? With a World Cup on home soil that is a disaster,' he added. The US will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada.
Arab News
15 hours ago
- Arab News
Esports World Cup Foundation and Amazon announce partnership to bring esports to mainstream audiences
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation announced a strategic three-year collaboration with Amazon Ads on Tuesday, combining the Esports World Cup's premier esports and gaming event with Amazon's full-funnel advertising and entertainment services. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The world cup will be held in the Saudi capital Riyadh from July 7 to August 24. The partnership hopes to deliver unprecedented fan experiences and expand the tournament's global reach, and will unlock new fan experiences across Twitch, Prime Video, Alexa, and Wondery. Both organizations collaborated last year on the inaugural Esports World Cup, which featured the launch of the Esports World Cup Hub on and 'Esports is redefining how a new generation consumes entertainment – always on, always accessible, and deeply social,' said Mike McCabe, Chief Operating Officer, at the Esports World Cup Foundation. 'With Amazon, we are bringing esports into everyday digital lives for millions of people around the world -- whether you're catching highlights on Prime, or a livestream on Twitch, or asking Alexa for updates – creating an immersive, multimedia experience that's shaping its place in global culture.' As part of the collaboration, EWCF and Amazon Ads will work together to extend the reach of the Esports World Cup across key locales, including the United States, Europe, Brazil, Mexico, the Middle East and North Africa, Turkey, India, and Canada. Rayan Karaky, Managing Director, EMEA & Southeast Asia at Amazon Ads, said,' We are excited to continue our collaboration with EWCF to shape how Esports is experienced globally. Our collaboration will power immersive fan experiences across multiple touchpoints and create exceptional value for brands.' The collaboration will offer new opportunities for brands to connect with the next-generation global esports audience through Amazon's suite of advertising solutions. The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool.
Arab News
20 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi national team arrives in Los Angeles ahead of CONCACAF Gold Cup debut
LOS ANGELES: The Saudi national football team touched down in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning ahead of their participation in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicks off on June 14 across the US. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The Green Falcons arrived at LAX International Airport from Jeddah and will hold their pre-tournament training camp in San Diego. Their opening group stage match is set for Sunday against Haiti at Snapdragon Stadium. The team was received at LAX by the Kingdom's Consul General in Los Angeles, Bandar Al-Zaid. Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Al-Misehal expressed appreciation to the consulate for its warm welcome and logistical support. The squad will begin their preparations with a closed training session on Wednesday evening at the San Diego Performance Center.
