Australia’s left-back Aziz Behich conveyed his satisfaction regarding the draw against Saudi Arabia in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Australia played to a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in Melbourne on Thursday in the fifth round of the decisive World Cup qualifiers. The result sees both teams share the spoils, with Australia securing a point on home soil.
After the match, Australian defender Aziz Behich spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, expressing mixed feelings about the outcome. “We wanted to achieve victory, especially since we are playing on our home ground, but we got a point, which is satisfactory for us, considering the difficulty of the match,” Behich said.
The competition for qualification cards is fierce, and we face several challenges; however, we will strive to accumulate as many points as we can by the conclusion of the qualifiers,” stated the former Al-Nassr player. The Kangaroos currently hold the second position in Group 3 with six points, surpassing third-placed Saudi Arabia on goal difference. Nonetheless, Bahrain has the opportunity to claim second place if they secure a victory against China later today, while Japan leads the group with 10 points prior to their fifth-round match against Indonesia.
Despite the draw, Australia remains focused on their qualification campaign, knowing that each point is crucial as they continue their push for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. The Socceroos will now turn their attention to their upcoming fixtures as they look to improve on their position in the standings.
