Saudi Arabia, Australia to clash in crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier
Sydney, Australia
8 June 2023
Saudi Arabia and Australia will face off in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, 7 June 2023, at the Sydney Olympic Stadium. Both teams are level on points at the top of Group B, and the winner of this match will take a significant step towards qualifying for the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia is the current Asian champions, having won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. They are ranked 51st in the FIFA World Rankings, and they have a strong record in World Cup qualifying. They have qualified for the last four World Cups, and they will be looking to make it five in a row.
Australia is ranked 42nd in the FIFA World Rankings, and they have also qualified for the last four World Cups. They will be looking to make it five in a row, and they will be confident of their chances against Saudi Arabia.
The match is expected to be a close contest, and it could go either way. Saudi Arabia has the home advantage, but Australia has the experience. The winner of this match will take a big step towards qualifying for the World Cup, and it will be a major boost for their hopes of success in Qatar.
Key players
- Saudi Arabia: Salem Al-Dawsari, Fahad Al-Muwallad, Salman Al-Faraj
- Australia: Mat Ryan, Aaron Mooy, Mathew Leckie
Head-to-head record
Saudi Arabia and Australia have met 10 times in the past, with Saudi Arabia winning four times, Australia winning three times, and three matches ending in a draw.
Prediction
This is a difficult match to predict, but I think Saudi Arabia will edge it. They have the home advantage, and they have a slightly better head-to-head record against Australia.
