The hosts are currently occupying the top of Group I, having collected a maximum of six points from two outings, while the Cedars are sitting at the second place, trailing by four points.
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Australia will be looking to continue their impressive run in the World Cup qualifiers when they play host to Lebanon in a Group I fixture at CommBank Stadium on Thursday. The hosts are currently occupying the top of the table, having collected a maximum of six points from two outings, while the Cedars are sitting at the second place, trailing by four points. Meanwhile, both sides have not kicked the ball since the AFC Asian Cup finals in Qatar earlier this year, with the Socceroos reaching the quarter-finals of the tournament, while the visitors couldn’t progress beyond the group stage.
The early crew hit the track 🏟️🏃♂️⚽
🇦🇺🆚🇱🇧 🔜#Socceroos #DifferentBreed pic.twitter.com/VRYnKUI6Mf
— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) March 18, 2024
Australia had a disappointing AFC Asian Cup campaign, considering their high standards, losing out to South Korea 2-1 in the last eight stage on February 2. Socceros took the lead thanks to Criag Dawson’s opener in the 42nd-minute, but the Taegeuk Warriors fought back to level the score through Hwang Hee-Chan’s penalty kick six minutes into the injury time, and forced the game into extra time. Son Heng-min’s sublime free-kick in the 104th-minute ended Australia’s nine-game Unbeaten run across all competitions, which included eight wins. Nevertheless, Graham Arnold’s men are in a strong position in their World Cup qualification, having won their first two games in Group I, against the likes of Bangladesh and Palestine, with an overall scoreline of 8-0.
Lebanon, on the other hand, recorded two defeats and a draw to finish at the bottom of Group A in the AFC Asian Cup. Their last group game ended in a 2-1 defeat despite taking the lead through Bassel Jradi’s 47th-minute opener. However, when it comes to the World Cup qualification, the Cedars have taken two points from as many games, courtesy of sharing the spoils with Palestine(0-0) and Bangladesh (1-1). With just two wins coming from their last 12 outings in all competitions, head coach Miodrag Radulovic has work to do if they are to take anything from their trip to Western Sydney on Thursday.
Australia probable starting lineup: Ryan, Atkinson, Souttar, Rowles, Bos, Metclafe, Baccus, Irvine, McGree, Duke, Goodwin
Lebanon probable starting lineup: Matar, Khamis, Michel, El Hindi, Nassar, Srour, Jradi, Tneich, Zein, Maatouk, Bugiel
Australia
| Opponents | Score |
| South Korea | 1-2 (L) |
| Indonesia | 4-0 (W) |
| Uzbekistan | 1-1 (D) |
| Syria | 0-1 (W) |
| India | 2-0 (W) |
Lebanon
| Opponents | Score |
| Tajikistan | 2-1 (L) |
| China | 0-0 (D) |
| Qatar | 3-0 (L) |
| Saudi Arabia | 0-1 (L) |
| Jordan | 2-1 (W) |
| Last 2 match-results | Score |
| Australia beat Lebanon | 3-0 |
| Australia beat Lebanon | Australia beat Lebanon |
The FIFA World Cup 2026 AFC qualifier will take place at CommBank Stadium on Thursday at 2:40 pm IST.
| Australia vs Lebanon | Key Details |
| Date | March 21 |
| Venue | CommBank Stadium |
| Kickoff time in Australia | 8:10 pm |
| Kickoff time in Lebanon | 11:10 am |
| Kickoff time in India | 2:40 pm |
Football fans in Australia can catch the live action via 10 Play, 10 Bold and Paramount +.
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