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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Rob Smyth

Palestine 0-1 Australia: 2026 World Cup qualifier – as it happened

Palestine Socceroos World Cup Australia Jaber Ryan Strain Aziz Behich Graham Arnold Jamie Maclaren Kye Rowles
Australian players celebrate after the opening goal.
Australian players celebrate after the opening goal. Photograph: Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s Joey Lynch’s match report:

My apologies to those of you who stayed up until the small hours to watch the game; it wasn’t one exactly one for the books. But Australia won and Harry Souttar scored again, so things could be worse. Thanks for your company – goodnight.

Updated

The Group I table after two games

  • Australia 6pts (GD+8)

  • Lebanon 2pts (GD0)

  • Palestine 1pt (GD-1)

  • Bangladesh 1pt (GD-7)

There’s plenty of goodwill at the final whistle, with Jamie Maclaren talking to a couple of Palestine players. And then the TV coverage cuts to the highlights, so I’ve no idea what happened next.

Full time: Palestine 0-1 Australia

Football, as we are told ad nauseam, is a results business. In that sense it’s been a perfectly good night for Australia, though their attacking performance, left a fair bit to be desired.

The goal machine Harry Souttar headed the winner against a Palestine team who defended admirably but lacked composure in the final third. Even so, the Socceroos needed Mat Ryan to make one of the best saves of his career on the stroke of half-time. A draw wouldn’t have flattered Palestine.

Things were generally more comfortable for Australia in the second half, with the substitute Jordy Bos coming closest when he powered a header against the bar.

Updated

90+3 min: Australia substitution Jamie Maclaren and Aiden O’Neill come for Mitch Duke and Keanu Baccus.

90+3 min Saldana releases Dabbagh on the left with a stylish flick behind his standing leg. Dabbagh’s cross, alas, is too close to Ryan.

90+2 min Souttar, perfectly positioned on the edge of the area, makes his umpteenth interception of the night. Even if he hadn’t scored the only goal, he would be my player of the match.

90+1 min Palestine have five added minutes to find an equaliser.

Updated

89 min Baccus is penalised for handball on the left wing, another chance for Palestine. It’s half cleared and then swung back into the area. There’s a big penalty appeal when Wadi is challenged by Borrello right on the edge of the area. The referee says no and replays show that both players missed the ball.

87 min Al-Battat’s free-kick is headed away emphatically by either Souttar or Duke at the near post.

86 min: Palestine substitution Before the free-kick is taken, Mahmoud Wadi comes on for Zaid Qunbar.

85 min Miller tangles with Qunbar on the left edge of the area and is penalised, a little harshly I think. This is a chance for Palestine.

Updated

84 min Metcalfe’s deep corner is headed wide by Irvine, though the whistle had gone for a free-kick. Good thing for Irvine because it was basically an open goal.

Updated

83 min A good move from Australia. Borrello’s floated cross is headed down by Metcalfe to Duke, back to goal near the penalty spot. He tees up the onrushing Irvine, whose shot is deflected behind from a corner.

81 min: Palestine substitution Islam Batran replaces Tamer Seyam, who was denied an equaliser by that remarkable save by Mat Ryan.

80 min Another desperate long-range shot goes high over the bar, this time from Seyam. Palestine have been impressive in many facets of the game, but they lack patience in the final third.

78 min After a nice run down the left by Bos, Baccus pings one from 25 yards. it hits Termanini and flies out for a throw-in.

77 min Cmilio Sandana has been booked, I think for dissent.

76 min This has been a tough game for Australia. Their attacking play has been unconvincing and, though Souttar and Rowles have been excellent, it still took an extraordinary save from Mat Ryan to maintain the lead.

73 min: Palestine substitution Mohammad Rashid is replaced by Oday Kharoub.

72 min: Chance for Palestine! A match is never safe at 1-0. Abu Warda nicks the ball and feeds it into Dabbagh near the penalty spot. He takes a touch and hits a shot on the half turn that deflects behind for a corner. I’m not sure who made the block but it was a crucial one.

68 min Rowles is booked for a late, clumsy tackle on Dabbagh.

Updated

65 min: Bos hits the bar! The resulting corner, taken by Goodwin, is thumped against the crossbar by the head of Jordy Bos! He arrived late and unmarked, eight yards out, and will be frustrated that he didn’t score.

That said, Hamadi may have got a slight touch to divert the ball onto the bar; if he did it was a brilliant save. (I don’t think he did but you’ve got to cover all bases eh.)

Updated

64 min: Fine save by Hamadi! That’s the best move of the match. Duke backflicks the ball to Borrello, who returns the favour with another jaunty flick. Duke slides it back towards Borrello, who shoots first-time from the edge of the area. Hamadi gets down smartly to his right to push the ball behind.

Updated

62 min Miller screws a good pass into Metcalfe on the edge of the area. He can’t decide whether to shoot or pass, however, and Saleh (I think) makes a good tackle.

61 min: Double substitution for Australia Jordy Bos and Brandon Borrello replace Craig Goodwin and Martin Boyle.

58 min Ataa Jaber has another wasteful shot from distance, slicing well wide with his left foot.

57 min Miller’s low cross is cut out at the near post by Saleh. As well as Palestine have defended, Graham Arnold will be disappointed with Australia’s work in the final third.

54 min There’s a brief bit of needle between Saldana and Miller. The referee invites them both to act their age and play resumes.

53 min A good spell for Palestine leads to a corner on the right. It’s taken short and half cleared to Ataa Jaber, who smashes a volley into orbit from 25 yards.

51 min A poor ball from Ataa Jaber allows Australia to break, but they take too long and eventually Goodwin’s pass towards Irvine is cut out.

49 min Australia are very happy to eat up the time by passing the ball around in the middle third. Palestine will have to alter their approach at some stage.

Australia's Connor Metcalfe, middle, battles for the ball with Palestine's Mohammed Saleh.
Australia's Connor Metcalfe, middle, battles for the ball with Palestine's Mohammed Saleh. Photograph: AP

Updated

46 min The Socceroos begin the second half. No more substitutions on either side.

Mat Ryan’s save

I’ve seen a replay now and it’s even better than it looked on first viewing.

Half time: Palestine 0-1 Australia

The Socceroos lead in Kuwait, thanks mainly to the head of Harry Souttar and the hands of Mat Ryan. They haven’t played well, particularly in open play, but they’re ahead.

45+1 min: Great save by Ryan! What a chance for Palestine. The corner was taken short to Al-Battat, who swung a cross towards the far post. It bounced off Ataa Jaber and back across goal towards Seyam, barely three yards out. He stabbed the bouncing ball towards goal and Ryan, who charged back across his line and threw himself at Seyam’s feet, somehow clawed the ball round the post with his right hand. I’d like to see a replay but that looked like a seriously brilliant save.

Updated

45+1 min There will be two minutes of added time. Al-Battat charges down the cross and whips a cross that is shinned behind for a corner by Behich.

45 min Palestine have got two players marking Souttar now. But this time Goodwin’s corner evades him and is booted away at the near post.

43 min Metcalfe’s cross hits Saleh and goes behind for a corner. Harold Souttar Esq. is jogging forward.

42 min Palestine are definitely picking their moments to press. At some stage they will have to be more aggressive without the ball; for now it’s more important to stay within range of the Socceroos going into the last 20 minutes.

40 min Rashid lifts a promising pass to release Seyam on the right wing. He can’t quite catch up with the ball, though, and his cross goes behind for a goalkick.

Updated

37 min Baccus turns his man on the halfway line, in the inside-right channel, and lofts a lovely pass over the top towards Boyle. He heads the ball in to the area and tries to cut it back towards Duke, but Saleh makes a good block and the keeper Hamadi beats Boyle to the loose ball.

Updated

36 min Miller breaks into the area from the right but is penalised for pulling back the defender.

33 min An excellent cross from Al-Battat is headed away decisively by Souttar. Moments later Qunbar tries to lob the ball over Souttar in the box; it hits him in the face and rebounds to safety.

33 min Palestine look a decent, organised side but they have struggled to score goals of late, with only one in the last seven hours. Apart from that earlier save, Mat Ryan hasn’t had much to do.

30 min That’s better from the Socceroos. Goodwin’s Harvard-educated left foot swings the ball beyond the far post, which Metcalfe meets with a cushioned volley on the run. The angle is tight and Hamadi saves comfortably.

Updated

28 min I don’t know whether it’s the pitch, the selective intensity of the Palestine pressing or both, but Australia’s passing has been unusually sloppy in the first half hour.

Updated

25 min The goal has settled Australia down slightly, though it’s still a very scrappy game.

23 min: Socceroos substitution Lewis Miller replaces the unfortunate Ryan Strain at right-back.

21 min Ryan Strain is down and looks in serious pain. There was nobody near him when he went down – it looks like he twisted his groin after getting his foot stuck in the turf. Play continues while he is treated off the field.

20 min That goal came against the run of play, in truth, but that’s the value of set-piece goals. They occur almost in a vacuum.

Updated

GOAL! Palestine 0-1 Australia (Souttar 18)

Harry Souttar’s spectacular goalscoring run continues. Goodwin curled a superb inswinging corner to the near post, where Souttar was too strong for Saleh and headed in from five yards. That’s his 10th goal in only 21 appearances for the Socceroos.

Australia's Harry Souttar scores.
Australia's Harry Souttar scores. Photograph: Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP/Getty Images
Australian players celebrate after the goal.
Australian players celebrate after the goal. Photograph: Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

17 min Palestine continue to look very comfortable. The Socceroos haven’t been able to find any attacking rhythm. Yet.

14 min There were reports of planned protests in the seventh and 13th minutes. It’s quite hard to see on TV whether the Palestinian fans have turned their backs on the game; nothing has been said on the TV commentary.

12 min Palestine have an excellent record in World Cup qualifiers at home (or on neutral territory), with 17 wins and no defeats in the last 21 games.

11 min Metcalfe has a go from 25 yards. It’s pretty well struck but too close to Hamadi.

Updated

10 min Palestine have started confidently, pressing high when they can and attacking with ambition. Australia haven’t really settled.

7 min The corner is half cleared to Abu Warda, who hooks a shot onto the roof of the net from 22 yards. Ryan had it covered but it was a decent effort.

6 min: Good save by Ryan! The angle is tight but Seyam goes for goal with a nice left-footed curler. Ryan moves smartly to his left and dives to punch the ball behind for a corner.

5 min Ataa Jaber is fouled clumsily by Duke, just outside the area on the right. Seyam is over the ball…

2 min The match is underway, though I missed the first 90 seconds due to technical problems. Australia, in their away kit, are on the attack as I type.

Updated

Graham Arnold speaks

Full time: Bangladesh 1-1 Lebanon

The other game in Group I has finished level in Dhaka. That means a win tonight would put the Socceroos four points clear after two games. Here’s how the table looks:

  • Australia P1 Pts 3

  • Lebanon P2 Pts 2

  • Palestine P1 Pts 1

  • Bangladesh P2 Pts 1

Palestine goalkeeper Rami Hamada leads his team on to the pitch.
Palestine goalkeeper Rami Hamada leads his team on to the pitch. Photograph: Noufal Ibrahim/EPA

Updated

Protests ‘planned after 7, 13 and 75 minutes’

This is from our liveblog on the Israel-Hamas war

The Palestine football team were due to be playing their first home game since 2019 in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Because of the war, it has been moved to Kuwait. They face Australia in a qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup.

Fans attending the match are expected to stage protests against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Earlier Al Jazeera reported that “at seven minutes into the match, fans will raise Palestinian flags and wave keffiyehs to mark the start of the war on 7 October [the date of the Hamas attack inside Israel]. Thirteen minutes into the match, fans will stand and turn their backs on the pitch to protest the killing of more than 13,000 people since the start of the attacks. On 75 minutes, fans will raise their arms and join hands in protest against 75 years of occupation.”

It also reported that at another signal, fans will be raising keys during the match, to “symbolise those taken by the Palestinians when they locked their doors and fled during the Nakba”.

Updated

The Socceroos’ players will denote a five-figure sum, taken from their match fees for this game, to Oxfam.

Football Australia will also match the donation.

Some of the Palestine players remain in Gaza. Those who travelled to Kuwait via a training camp in Jordan are preoccupied with the safety of their loved one. The Palestine coach Makram Daboub has been discussing the extraordinary circumstances in which this match will take place.

Team news: four changes for Socceroos

Palestine make two changes from their draw with Lebanon. Mohammed Rashid and Zaid Qunbar replace Mohammed Yaheen and Chihadeh Saleh.

The Socceroos bring in Ryan Strain, Kye Rowles, Aziz Behich and Martin Boyle for Lewis Miller, Cameron Burgess, Jordan Bos and Brandon Borrello. They’re all among the substitutes.

Palestine (possible 4-3-3) Hamadi; Al-Battat, Termanini, M Saleh, Saldaña; Rashid, Jaber, Abu Warda; Seyam, Qunbar, Dabbagh.
Substitutes: Kaddura, Naim Abuaker, Khalil, Hamed, Mahdi Issa, Farawi, Kharoub, Yamin, Batran, C Saleh, Hassan, Mahmoud Wadi.

Australia (possible 4-1-2-3) Ryan; Strain, Souttar, Rowles, Behich; Baccus; Irvine, Metcalfe; Boyle, Duke, Goodwin.
Substitutes: Burgess, Bos, Silvera, Maclaren, Yengi, Borrello, Gauci, Circati, O’Neill, Maynard-Brewer, Miller, Luongo.

Updated

Preamble

Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of the World Cup qualifier between Palestine and Australia. The Socceroos have played almost 600 ‘A’ internationals, but they’ve never had a game quite like this.

The war in Gaza puts this game in a unique context. The match was originally scheduled to be played in Ramallah in the West Bank – it would have been Palestine’s first home game since 2019 – before being moved for security reasons. Palestine’s first scheduled home game since the outbreak of war will instead be played at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.

It’s their second World Cup qualifier, following a goalless draw with Lebanon on Thursday. The Socceroos started their campaign by beating Bangladesh 7-0 in Melbourne, with the substitute Jamie Maclaren scoring a second-half hat-trick. Palestine, the highest ranked opponent in this group, will be a tougher challenge, though it will still be a major surprise if Australia don’t win.

“What we do have control over is our performance and playing against Palestine and going out and getting the job done for Australia,” said the Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, who described the war as “horrific” after Thursday’s game. “We’re very sympathetic for everyone with what’s going on, but again, it’s a game of football and that brings a lot of joy to everybody.”

Kick off 5pm local time, 1am AEDT, 2pm GMT.

Updated

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