Australia and China will continue their respective 2026 World Cup qualifying bids when they face off in Tuesday’s clash in Hangzhou.
The Socceroos are sitting in second place with 10 points to their name, while China are four points adrift at the bottom of the Group C standings.
Match preview
While Australia are looking to reach a sixth consecutive World Cup, China are dreaming of securing qualification for just the second time after previously appearing at the 2002 tournament.
They scrapped through the second round of qualifying after they finished level with Thailand on points, goal difference, goals scored and goals conceded.
Their superior head-to-head record ultimately proved enough to seal a spot in the third phase, where they are lying bottom of group C after winning two and losing five of their seven matches.
Branko Ivankovic‘s side fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat in Thursday’s away clash against Saudi Arabia, ensuring they remained behind Bahrain and Indonesia on goal difference in the race to advance to the additional qualifying round.
After failing to win their previous three qualifying matches against Australia, China will head into Tuesday’s contest with hopes of claiming their head-to-head win in World Cup qualification for the first time since June 2008.
Australia began the road to the 2026 World Cup in the second qualifying phase, winning all six games to ease into the third round, where they have faced a tougher test despite being in the top two.
Graham Arnold resigned from his head coach position after overseeing a 1-0 defeat against Bahrain and a goalless draw against Indonesia in the first two matches of the third round of qualifying.
Arnold’s successor, Tony Popovic, got off to a winning start against China, before he saw his team finish 2024 with three consecutive draws against Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
Popovic would have been relieved to see his side return to winning ways in emphatic fashion in Thursday’s home clash against Indonesia, with Jackson Irvine netting a brace alongside goals from Martin Boyle, Nishan Velupillay and Lewis Miller to seal a dominant 5-1 victory.
Australia, who are sitting just one point clear of third-placed Saudi Arabia, will now look to tighten their grip on second position by claiming their first away win of the third round of qualifying.
Team News
China are unable to call upon their second-highest goalscorer Wu Lei, who was left of Ivanovic’s squad due to injury.
Lin Liangming is suspended following his red card in Thursday’s contest, while Tyias Browning is a doubt after being forced off in the closing stages of the first half against Saudi Arabia.
Han Pengfei and Behram Abduweli could replace Lin and Browning respectively, and there may also be a place for right-back Yang Zexiang.
As for the visitors, forward Adam Taggart has withdrawn from the squad after picking up an injury in Thursday’s win over Indonesia.
Kusini Yengi has also pulled out of the squad due to a minor hamstring problem, causing Australia to call up Mitch Duke as cover for Tuesday’s game in China.
Brandon Borrello is in line to replace Taggart in the starting lineup, while there could also be a starting spot for Craig Goodwin if Martin Boyle is not fit to start after picking up a minor injury issue on Thursday.
China possible starting lineup:
D. Wang; Yang, S. Jiang, Han, L. Li; S. Wang, Xie; Wei, Cao, Abduweli; Zhang
Australia possible starting lineup:
Ryan; Geria, Burgess, Rowles; Miller, Irvine, O’Neill, Behich; Goodwin, Velupillay; Borrello
We say: China 1-3 Australia
Australia may have drawn their last three away World Cup qualifiers, but they would have taken plenty of confidence from Thursday’s dominant home win over Indonesia, and we think they will build upon that result by claiming a relatively comfortable victory in Tuesday’s away fixture against China.
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