The Socceroos' expected Asian Cup quarter-final opponents Saudi Arabia have snatched a dramatic win in a pulsating match against Oman, with the Australian match officials embroiled in late controversy.
The Saudis trailed for more than an hour in the gripping Group F clash after a penalty given by the Australian video assistant referee (VAR), before grabbing a 78th-minute equaliser from livewire substitute Abdulrahman Ghareeb.
Six minutes into added time Ali Al-Bulayhi headed what he thought was a winner only for the goal to be flagged offside by Australian assistant referee Ashley Beecham.
However, a lengthy VAR check run by another Aussie, Kate Jacewicz, with her Japanese colleague, showed the defender to be onside.
Even then both sets of players misunderstood the signal of A-League Men referee Shaun Evans, and resumed play only for the former bricklayer from Victoria to halt the match and explain the goal had been given.
The Saudis celebrated, the Omanis argued, but the decision stood and Saudi Arabia joined Thailand on top of Group F after the War Elephants defeated Kyrgyzstan 2-0 earlier in the day.
The match will have been followed keenly by Graham Arnold as, should both teams win their groups and progress from the round of 16, Australia will meet the Saudis in the quarter-finals.
That would be a demanding tie for the Socceroos. In World Cup 2022 qualifying Australia were held to a goalless draw by Saudi Arabia in Sydney then lost the return 1-0 in Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia had a run of poor form following the World Cup, in which they famously beat eventual winners Argentina, but their results have picked up under Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to success in the last European Championships.
The Green Falcons came into the Asian Cup with high expectations but after starting brightly went behind when Evans awarded a 17th-minute penalty after consulting the pitchside monitor following a VAR intervention. Salaah Al Yahyaei rolled the spot-kick in.
For the next hour, Saudi Arabia penned Oman back. But the Omanis kept their shape, broke dangerously, and looked on course for a shock win when Mancini summoned Ghareeb from the bench.
The jinking winger, who plays alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane for Al Nassr, scored a superb individual goal to set up the dramatic climax.
In the group's opening match, Thailand beat a stubborn Kyrgyzstan thanks to a pair of poacher's goals from Supachai Chaided.
The Buriram United striker drew a blank in two Asian Champions League matches against Melbourne City this season, but was in the right place to score after 26 and 48 minutes in the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha.
