Saudi Arabia vs Australia prediction, preview, team news and more | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Saudi Arabia host Australia at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Tuesday in their final 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
The Green Falcons booked their place at the Qatar showpiece despite a 1-1 draw with China earlier in the week as Australia lost to Japan on the same day.
The Middle Eastern outfit thereby increased their lead over the Socceroos to five points with just one game in hand, joining group leaders Japan in qualifying directly from Group A.
It's not all doom and gloom for Australia, though, who are still into the playoffs but will face a South American side in June, which could be either Peru, Colombia or Chile.
Saudi Arabia vs Australia Head-To-Head
Australia have won five of their previous nine clashes with Saudi Arabia, losing just once - a 1-0 defeat in the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1997.
Their November reverse of the qualifiers, however, ended in a goalless stalemate.
A chance to finish our #AsianQualifiers on a high as we look ahead to June ⚽️
Watch live and free on Channel 10 from 5am AEDT on Wednesday morning.
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Saudi Arabia Form Guide (all competitions): D-L-W-L-D
Australia Form Guide (all competitions): L-D-W-D-D
Saudi Arabia vs Australia Team News
Saudi Arabia
With qualification secured, head coach Hervé Renard could opt to make wholesale changes to his lineup which drew with China on Thursday.
Abdulaziz Al-Bishi could replace Fahad Al-Muwallad on the right, with Sami Al-Najei coming in place of Hattan Bahebri.
Al-Nassr winger Khalid Al-Ghannam will hope to open his goalscoring account.
Injured: None
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
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Australia
Graham Arnold may seek to shake things up a little after their limp display in the loss to Japan.
Jamie Mclaren, who's struck in each of his two appearances for the Socceroos this year, was dropped to the bench in the said match.
Captain and goalkeeper Mathew Ryan will look to join Zeljko Kalac in second place for the highest number of clean sheets in Australia's history with 24.
Injured: None
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Saudi Arabia vs Australia Predicted XI
Saudi Arabia (4-2-3-1): Fawaz Al-Qarni; Mohammed Al-Breik, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Hassan Tambakti, Yasser Al-Shahrani; Salman Al-Faraj, Mohamed Kanno; Abdulaziz Al-Bishi, Sami Al-Najei, Khalid Al-Ghannam; Saleh Al-Shehri.
Australia (4-4-2): Mathew Ryan; Rhyan Grant, Trent Sainsbury, Alex Wilkinson, Joel King; Martin Boyle, James Jeggo, Kenny Dougall, Awer Mabil; Jamie Mclaren, Mitchell Duke.
Saudi Arabia vs Australia Prediction
Both sides will look to bounce back from their latest setbacks and finish the group phase on a high.
This could see them cancel each other out in a tense draw.
Prediction: Saudi Arabia 1-1 Australia