Australia loses again ahead of World Cup playoffs

Embattled Graham Arnold may have coached his last game for the Socceroos after yet another loss, going down to Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

The Socceroos will take poor form into June’s World Cup playoffs after finishing their group campaign with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

In what might have been embattled coach Graham Arnold’s final game in charge of Australia, the Socceroos again paid the price for lack of cutting edge in attack.

Some late heroics from captain and goalkeeper Mat Ryan ensured the margin of defeat wasn’t greater after the hosts went ahead in the 65th minute via a penalty from Salem Al-Dawsari.

The spot kick had been rightly awarded after a clumsy and needless foul from Jimmy Jeggo on Sami Al-Najei, who had already lost the ball before being tripped by the Socceroos midfielder.

The loss was the Socceroos’ second successive defeat after they were beaten 2-0 by Japan in Sydney last Thursday.

That result ended Australia’s hopes of direct qualification to this year’s World Cup, while the defeat in Jeddah extended the Socceroos’ ordinary run to just one win in their past seven matches.

The slump ensured the Socceroos finished in third place in Group B of the Asian Football Confederation’s third round of World Cup qualifiers.

The Australians will now meet Group A’s third-placed team – the United Arab Emirates – in a sudden-death playoff on June 7 in Doha.

The winner of that match will progress to another do-or-die playoff a week later against Peru, fifth-placed nation from the South American qualifiers, for a spot in this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Socceroos forward Awer Mabil (right) battles with Saudi Arabia defender Mohammed Al-Breik. Picture: AFP

Australia will need to improve its efforts in front of goal to survive those playoffs after another frustrating night in Jeddah.

It started in the 12th minute when the Socceroos blew a great chance to grab the lead through winger Awer Mabil, who failed to hit the target from close range after being first to a low and dangerous cross from Martin Boyle.

It was a trend that continued in the first half, with defender Trent Sainsbury and Boyle also unable to direct shots on target,

However, Boyle did have the ball in the back of the net in the 36th minute after a brilliant through ball from playmaker Ajdin Hrustic split Saudi Arabia’s defence in half,

But the assistant referee flagged Boyle off-side. A VAR check then took four agonising minutes, with the ruling favouring the hosts by seemingly a matter of millimetres.

The Socceroos continued to attack after halftime, with Mabil forcing a good save out of Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais after a stinging strike in the 58th minute.

The Australians were made to pay for their wasted chances when the hosts went ahead with 25 minutes remaining via Al-Dawsari’s penalty.

“When it was 0-0 we had three good chances to score. You take those chances it’s a different game,” Arnold said.

“Now the boys have to go back to their clubs – they need to work hard.”

FRESH FACES

Hearts defender Nathaniel Atkinson made his Socceroos debut, starting at right back in one of six changes to the team that started in the loss to Japan.

“It’s great to get my debut but every footballer wants to win games,” Atkinson said.

“We’re in a tough spot at the moment but we’ve got to keep positive because we’re still in this.”

Melbourne Victory striker Nick D’Agostino also debuted when he came on at the start of the second half for Bruno Fornaroli.

Saudi Arabia 1 (Salem Al-Dawsari 65’) d Australia 0 in Jeddah.

Australia: Mat Ryan, Nathaniel Atkinson, Gianni Stensness, Trent Sainsbury, Aziz Behich, Jimmy Jeggo, Denis Genreau (Mitchell Duke 82’), Martin Boyle, Ajdin Hrustic, Awer Mabil (Marco Tilio 73’), Bruno Fornaroli (Nick D’Agostino 46’)