Yengi saves Australia late on, from dropping all 3 points. He got 9 goals for Portsmouth in League One last season, but yet to score for them this campaign in The Championship. How the Socceroos would love to have our Wood.
Surprised Ryan started ahead of Gauci in goal.
Highlights - https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/australia-fight-back-rescue-a-point-bahrain
Thankfully for the Roos, Saudi lost 2-0 in Indonesia. The unbeaten Japan juggernaut rolls on with a 3-1 win in China.
With 4 pool games left the Blue Samurai (1st, 16 pts) are a whopping 9 pts clear of Australia (2nd, 7 pts). Japan with 2 wins next March will lock in qualification with 2 games to spare. 1 win will likely be enough. Pragnell should already be picking up the phone, re trying to arrange a friendly(ies) in either Sept/Oct/Nov windows next year.
But the race for the 2nd qualifying spot is very very tight.
Australia (2nd, 7 pts).
Then Indonesia, Saudi, Bahrain & China in that order on GD, all on 6 pts.
https://us.soccerway.com/international/asia/wc-qualifying-asia/2026/3rd-round/group-c/g23348/
Poppa hasn't done too bad since coming in at short notice, 3D & 1W. He now has 4 months to properly prepare and plan for the next 2 matches in March. Two very winnable games, hosting Indonesia and then China away. Two wins, and the Soccceroos with 1 foot in 2026 World Cup. The final 2 games in the June window are tough though, Japan in Oz and Saudi away.
Poppa might also have the likes of Irankunda, Hrustić, Massimo Luongo and Connor Metcalfe available again by March. Not sure whether recently Melb City injury returnee Matthew Leckie is still Socceroos standard these days.
If I was a betting man, I'd pick the Socceroos to clinch 2nd spot in the pool and WC qualification next June.
Surprised Ryan started ahead of Gauci in goal.
Highlights - https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/australia-fight-back-rescue-a-point-bahrain
Thankfully for the Roos, Saudi lost 2-0 in Indonesia. The unbeaten Japan juggernaut rolls on with a 3-1 win in China.
With 4 pool games left the Blue Samurai (1st, 16 pts) are a whopping 9 pts clear of Australia (2nd, 7 pts). Japan with 2 wins next March will lock in qualification with 2 games to spare. 1 win will likely be enough. Pragnell should already be picking up the phone, re trying to arrange a friendly(ies) in either Sept/Oct/Nov windows next year.
But the race for the 2nd qualifying spot is very very tight.
Australia (2nd, 7 pts).
Then Indonesia, Saudi, Bahrain & China in that order on GD, all on 6 pts.
https://us.soccerway.com/international/asia/wc-qualifying-asia/2026/3rd-round/group-c/g23348/
Poppa hasn't done too bad since coming in at short notice, 3D & 1W. He now has 4 months to properly prepare and plan for the next 2 matches in March. Two very winnable games, hosting Indonesia and then China away. Two wins, and the Soccceroos with 1 foot in 2026 World Cup. The final 2 games in the June window are tough though, Japan in Oz and Saudi away.
Poppa might also have the likes of Irankunda, Hrustić, Massimo Luongo and Connor Metcalfe available again by March. Not sure whether recently Melb City injury returnee Matthew Leckie is still Socceroos standard these days.
If I was a betting man, I'd pick the Socceroos to clinch 2nd spot in the pool and WC qualification next June.