David Flower
Dailysports's expert
Australia
Saudi Arabia
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One of the standout fixtures of the fifth round in the Asian World Cup qualifiers will take place on Thursday in Melbourne, where Australia hosts Saudi Arabia. Here's a match preview along with a promising goal-based betting suggestion.
Match Preview
Australia faced unexpected challenges in their opening games of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. They suffered a surprising 0-1 loss to Bahrain, shocking their fans. In the following round, despite being favorites, they struggled to break down Indonesia’s defense, resulting in a goalless draw.
Australia earned their first win in the third stage of qualifiers in the third round with a commanding 3-1 victory over China at home. The Australians gained another crucial point in the fourth round, drawing 1-1 with Japan on the road. With five points from four games, they currently sit in second place in the group, five points behind Japan.
Saudi Arabia, one of Asia’s top teams, has delivered mixed performances recently. At the Asian Cup in winter, they topped their group with seven points, only to be eliminated by South Korea in the first playoff round after a penalty shootout.
In World Cup qualifying, Saudi Arabia has also faced hurdles. They finished second in their group in the second round, behind Jordan. In the first two matches of the third round, the Saudis drew with Indonesia (1-1) and won 2-1 against China on the road. However, they lost 0-2 at home to Japan in the third round and only managed a point in their next home match against Bahrain. They currently sit third, trailing Australia on goal difference.
Probable Lineups
- Australia: Ryan; Miller, Souttar, Burgess, Behich; Silvera, Irvine, Baccus, Goodwin; Mabil, Taggart
- Saudi Arabia: Al-Owais; Al-Tambakti, Lahami, Kadesh, Abdulhamid; Al Jouar, Al-Malki, Al-Dawsari, Al Hamdan; Al-Dawsari, Al-Buraikan
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- The last encounters between these teams were in 2021/22, with a 0-0 draw in Melbourne and a 1-0 home win for Saudi Arabia.
- Before that, both teams scored in five consecutive meetings, each featuring "Over 2.5 Goals."
- Australia remains unbeaten at home against Saudi Arabia, with two wins and a draw in three matches.
Prediction
Bookmakers give a slight edge to Australia, though their odds continue to rise, currently sitting at 1.87. We believe one goal could decide this tight matchup, so our bet is "Under 2.5 Goals" with odds of 1.75.
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