Looks like we will play our first home game of this round against Saudi Arabia on November 11 and with a crowd (not sure how many yet). It will be at Sydney's newest Stadium in Parramatta (name is flexible) which has a 30,000 capacity but will probably still be restricted to a lower level due to Covid protocols. We need the home ground advantage against teams like Saudi Arabia so I'm glad we can now play at home. With quarantine still required in Sydney until December 1 (and then only lifted for fully vaccinated persons) I suspect the squads will be isolated for the duration of the stay. Considering these sorts of matches only need a short stay of a few days I don't think that will be a big issue.
The quarantine for fully vaxed international arrivals is lifted on November 1st not December 1st. So should be no worries for these WCQs.
But I feel , the FA's will have different protocol for the players and it will be bubble like situation. Anyways, am happy that KSA will get real test finally.
I think so as well and considering that these trips only take about 3 days even without covid most teams live in a bubble like situation for an important game like this anyway. A win for you guys will mean that you pretty much need to self destruct in the second half of the group to miss out on a top 2 spot. It will also mean that you are the first visiting team to win a live world cup qualifier in Australia since 1981.
Originally restricted to 75% capacity the Government has now removed capacity restrictions and if all tickets get sold we will have a 30,000 crowd. I'll be watching on TV.
Better to watch from home than getting exposed to anyone carrying the germ among the capacity crowd. Better be safe than sorry.
I think so too. I would normally take my partner with me but she is ill at the moment and on immunosuppressant drugs so that definitely means I wont take any unnecessary exposure risks.
Australia v Saudi Arabia will be the highest profile game in the AFC WCQ tomorrow and I will try to watch it. I expect Australia to win and even a draw would begin to give the Saudis an almost insurmountable lead in Group B. But if the Saudis lose, this group will end up going to the wire before we can be sure which sides qualify directly, which side goes to the playoffs and which sides (besides Vietnam and China) will be eliminated.
If we can defeat Saudi Arabia it means half way through the three favourites will have won their home games against the other two, with Japan's first game slip up leaving them behind. I agree with your assessment that a win to the Saudis will mean they have to seriously lose form not to make the top two. It's been raining quite a bit this week in Sydney and it will continue to do so through to tomorrows game. This will probably help us a bit as I don't think wet pitches are a common thing in the middle east. Anyway I hope it will as a loss by us will make it much harder to make the top two.
I will refrain from giving any predictions for AFC this international break. I'm highly anticipating the Australia - Saudi Arabia game. It's a clash of styles and honestly difficult to predict the outcome. An Australia win would make this group very wide open. If Saudi Arabia manage to grab at least a point they will be in a very advantageous position to qualify directly.
I am anticipating this match as well, the first for Saudi Arabia away from home or near home (Oman). Unless Renard has made a drastic difference in what I have observed from the Saudis over the years, I expect Australia to win (perhaps even comfortably.). On the other hand, if this is typical Saudi Arabia, not just Australia, but even China is liable to beat them in China. Don't get me wrong: Saudi Arabia is the one team in Asia that is usually/always bad news for Iran. They have even once defeated Iran in Tehran in a packed Azadi stadium. Even when we beat them it turns out not to matter (winning 3:0 in the group stage of AC96, but then losing to them on penalties in the semifinal of the same tournament, or beating them 2:0 at home during WCQ02 qualifiers, but with Saudi Arabia advancing at Iran's expense at the end. etc). So regardless of how they rank and how badly they do against anyone else, they are the one team I like Iran to avoid at all costs. Anyway, hope to see a good match and best of luck to Australia today.
Half Time Australia 0 Saudi Arabia 0 Raining throughout the game but a reasonably entertaining game so far. Both sides have shown some intent to go forward but haven't really put it together at the end. Been a while since I've seen the Saudis other than in highlights and they seem like a pretty good team at the moment. Their defending has definitely improved since we last played them in 2017.
0:0 HT Australia started lively but the Saudis were able to begin matching the Socceroos in a more or less even match without too many chances for either side. Overall, the Saudis are holding their own and I don't think they will be disappointed by the first half.
Saudi Arabia might be quietly the best team in Asia right now. Australia never really managed to produce longer spells of pressure. Saudi Arabia did well to hold them off and had the better chances in the 2nd half. It's the first time that Australia remained goalless in a home World Cup qualifier in the last round since they joined the AFC. As someone who keeps an eye on all confederations I wasn't particularly impressed by the standard of play. I feel the AFC will have a hard time at the next World Cup.
Finishes 0-0. The Saudis will probably be happy with the result tomorrow. Thought we had the best of the first part of the second half but instead of going ahead when we could have we ended up just hanging on at the end as the Saudi team definitely finished the stronger. Puts Saudi Arabia in the box seat to qualify and leaves us in the fight for the other direct spot.
I have to say: well done Saudi Arabia. Australia dominated the first 20 minutes after the break, carving out a couple of excellent chances. Afterwards, until the whistle, pretty much all the chances belonged to the Saudis, including at least 2 where they should have converted. Still, a point away at Australia will suit them fine.
Wow... What a match... Australia could have had lead the game 2-0 in 2nd half but thanks to Saudi Goal Keeper and luck, Aussies couldn't score. Australia also need to thank their Goal Keeper Ryan since he also stopped Saudi Arabia from scoring in 2nd half twice as Saudi could also have had been 2-0 up down under. Good match, Saudi held on.
In the Post-Match interview with Salem Al Dowsary, the camp is celebrating it as if they have won the match, and everyone is saying "ALF Mabrook" which they normally say after winning. Also, the referring in the match was not good as the Referee did not gave many fouls to Saudi Arabia where Saudis deserved to have foul or free kick. Referee was more tilted towards Australia in Australian favour.
Saudi Arabia missed gold opportunity to score on 70th Minute, 74th Minute and 83rd Minute... Even Australian Goal Keeper Ryan was beaten by the chance on 83rd minute but Saleh Al Shehri header just narrowly missed the goal.
A bit nervous start but equally opposite ending for the KSA team and they hold Australia to a goalless draw at there home. Australia were better in the first half and most of the second half but as soon as KSA gained momentum after 70th minute things could have changed. The heriocs of Matt Ryan saved Aussies from a defeat. Saudi GK had couple of good saves but overall it was the Aussie team GK which should have left more happily after the game. Japan game against Vietnam and they winning it will put pressure on Aussies with point gap reduced to 1 only along with Oman who will be willing to win against China. KSA needs other teams drop points now to be able to get advantage in the qualifiation race..