Australia

Saudi Arabia 1-0 Australia: World Cup 2022 qualifier – live reaction!

29-Mar-2022 20:03:34 | Guardian

• Updates from the Socceroos’ final Group B match
• Kick-off time is 9pm in Jeddah/5am AEDT
• Any thoughts? Email Emma or tweet @emmavkemp

32 min Australia have five shots, none on target, and one-third of possession, which sums up this half quite well so far in a way stats do not always. Saudi are content and comfortable to let their visitors play. Fornaroli is down under a challenge but dust himself off.

28 min Ajdin Hrustic, who was so good against Japan last week, has a free kick. It lofts up beautifully and is heading towards the top-left corner, but lands on the roof. Mabil opens up another channel, this time from left to right in the centre of the park and Boyle is onto it. Yet again an Australian attack ends with a shot which rolls marginally wide of the back post.