Australia defeats Saudi Arabia to secure FIFA World Cup berth

Australia defeated Saudi Arabia 2:1 in a penalty shootout in their FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier play-off on Tuesday, securing their place at the tournament in Qatar later this year.

The match finished 1-1 after extra time, but Australia held their nerve to win the shootout 5-4. Jason Cummings scored the winning penalty for the Socceroos.

Australia will now join Group D at the World Cup, where they will face defending champions France, Denmark, and Tunisia.
Australia has competed in the previous four World Cups and made it to the last 16 in 2006. Their best result was reaching the quarter-finals in 2006.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, will miss out on the World Cup for the first time since 2006. They made the knockout stage in 1994 and lost to eventual champions, Brazil.

The match was played in front of a sell-out crowd of over 60,000 at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar. The atmosphere was electric, with both sets of fans creating a vibrant and supportive atmosphere.

The game was a tense and cagey affair, with both sides having chances to win it in regular time. Australia took the lead in the 10th minute through Jackson Irvine, but Saudi Arabia equalized through Salem Al-Dawsari in the 65th minute.
The match went to extra time and penalties, where Australia ultimately prevailed.
The win was a huge relief for Australia, who had come close to missing out on the World Cup in recent years.
They lost to Japan in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup in 2019 and were then beaten by the United Arab Emirates in a play-off for the 2018 World Cup.
The Socceroos will now be looking to make an impact at the World Cup in Qatar.
They have a talented squad with a good mix of experience and youth, and they will be confident of causing a few surprises.