Saudi Gazette report

SYDNEY – The Green Falcons dampened the Socceroos’ much-anticipated homecoming Thursday with a scoreless draw in a World Cup qualifying clash in Sydney.

Saudi Arabia continues to remain the topper in Group B of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier with 13 points while Australians are clinging to second spot with 10 points.

Saudi Arabia’s road trip to Qatar World Cup 2022 continues against Vietnam on November 16, while Australia plays against China in Sharjah on the same day.

The Green Falcons can now go to Hanoi with more confidence to seal their fifth victory - after four wins in a row and a draw on Thursday’s match - to come back with 16 points from six matches.

Both teams were desperate to move closer to a top-two finish and automatic qualification to next year’s World Cup. The third-placed teams can still hope to make the cut via an inter-continental playoff.

The Green Falcons played well despite all odds, such as missing a number of their best players, long travel and meeting their strong host in wet conditions. Playing on home ground for the first time in 763 days, the Socceroos dominated unbeaten group-leaders Saudi Arabia for large patches of an engrossing, bitterly-fought battle. But the hosts failed to make it a happy homecoming as victory slipped away and the match finished a deserved goalless draw.

In pouring rain at Western Sydney Stadium, both sides played with great intensity to match a roaring crowd, clearly desperate for a crucial victory in the hunt for qualification to the FIFA World Cup.

Having lost 2-1 to Japan last month in Saitama, a pumped-up Socceroos rattled an under-pressure Saudi Arabia amid a cauldron-like atmosphere. But the visitors settled and almost pinched an early lead, only for Salman Al-Faraj’s shot from inside the box to be brilliantly blocked by defender Harry Souttar. Surviving that scare, Australia held sway once more but were let down by sloppiness in attack.

Socceroos were aggressive in the second half in a desperate bid to break the deadlock. They had numerous opportunities but were continually thwarted by goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Yami. Australia’s momentum came to a halt when Souttar was stretchered off with a knee injury.

In the second half, the Saudi team continued its advantage and intensified its attack and a dangerous opportunity came to its striker Saleh Al-Shehri when he received a cross from his colleague Salman Al-Faraj to turn the ball with his head, but it narrowly missed the net.

Saudi Arabia looked the more likely to score towards the end and created several chances, but were unable to snatch a late victory. Salem Al-Dosari almost scored the winning goal in the last minutes, when he hit a powerful ball from outside the penalty area, but narrowly missed it