Australian players in action during a training session at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha in this file photo.
Doha: Australia will be looking to extend a record winning streak when they meet Oman in a crucial AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar clash today.
With an unblemished record of 10 wins from as many matches since their Asian Qualifiers campaign began in September 2019, another three points at Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium will take the Socceroos a step closer to an unprecedented fifth successive FIFA World Cup appearance.
Forced to play a home qualifier on neutral soil for the second successive month due to COVID-19 restrictions, Australia will return to the Qatari capital confident of success against an Oman side ranked 46 places below them in the FIFA Rankings.
Regular foes since Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, Oman have managed just one win in nine previous meetings with the Socceroos, who cruised to a 5-0 win when the two sides last met in Dubai in late 2018.
Graham Arnold’s side have won every one of their matches on the Road to Qatar, just one of which was played in Australia, and have the maximum six points from two matches in the final group stage having defeated China (3-0) and Vietnam (1-0) in September.
They can also boast a largely settled side, with Brad Smith and Milos Degenek – who returned positive COVID-19 tests – the only forced changes from last month’s squad.
Arnold arguably has an equally strong cohort of players to choose from, with Brescia full-back Fran Karačić and Melbourne Victory forward Chris Ikonomidis both available for selection after missing the last window, while experienced Sunderland defender Bailey Wright looms as a ready-made replacement for the absent Degenek.
While Australia have historically been able to get the better of Oman, there is a growing confidence among the West Asian side.
A superb 1-0 win away to Japan on Matchday One sent shockwaves around the continent, and Branko Ivanković’s side were unlucky not to come away from their subsequent home match against Saudi Arabia without at least a point.
They were guilty of wastefulness in the final third in the latter of those matches, but there were no such worries in a 7-2 friendly win over Nepal last week, with Abdulaziz Al Muqbali, who scored twice, one of six Omani players to get their names of the scoresheet.
Including unofficial friendlies against club sides, the match against Nepal was Oman’s 15th game in 2021, making them one of the busiest anywhere in Asia this year, creating a sense of cohesion which former Persepolis boss Ivanković hopes will pay dividends against one of the continent’s heavyweights.
