Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
Photo: AP
Australia has secured the final automatic spot for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Saudi Arabia 2-1 in a tense match. This win means Australia will now join other qualified teams like Iran, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, and Uzbekistan at the World Cup.
Saudi Arabia, who will host the 2034 World Cup, needed to win by at least five goals to qualify directly. They started well with Abdulrahman Al Obud scoring in the 19th minute, giving fans hope for a miracle.
But Australia bounced back before halftime, with Connor Metcalfe scoring in the 42nd minute to make it 1-1. Just three minutes after the second half began, Mitch Duke headed in a goal to give Australia the lead.
Saudi Arabia had more chances to score, including a big shot from Salem Al Dawsari, but Australian goalkeeper Maty Ryan made a great save to keep the score 2-1.
Thanks to this result, Australia claimed second place in the group—securing their place at the World Cup. Saudi Arabia will now move to the October playoffs, where six teams will fight for the last two guaranteed spots at the tournament.
Even though Saudi Arabia missed out this time, they showed signs of improvement and will now travel to the USA to take part in the Gold Cup, which could help them prepare better for the next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Jordan and Uzbekistan also made history by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time ever. South Korea confirmed their place too, marking their 11th straight World Cup appearance.
Uzbekistan earned their spot after a 0-0 draw with the UAE, who, along with Qatar, will move to Round 4 playoffs. In that round, two groups of three teams will be formed. The group winners will qualify directly, while the runners-up will face each other for a chance to reach the intercontinental play-offs.
Also in Round 4 are Oman, Iraq, and Indonesia.
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