Australia National Team emerged first victory after beating China National Team scoring 3-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers Round 3 Group C at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
Under the leadership of new head coach Tony Popovic, the Socceroos made five changes to the starting lineup, including a notable switch in goal as Joe Gauci replaced former captain Maty Ryan. Despite Australia’s promising start, it was China who struck first.
In the 20th minute, China’s Xie Wenning opened the scoring, capitalizing on Wang Dalei’s long ball and Zhang Yuning’s flicked header. Xie skillfully outran Harry Souttar and slotted a low shot into the bottom corner, giving China an unexpected early lead.
Australia, despite dominating possession, struggled to break through China’s defense. The Chinese goalkeeper Wang remained untroubled for much of the first half, and Mitchell Duke’s errant effort epitomized the host’s frustration. However, Australia’s persistence paid off just before halftime. In stoppage time, Craig Goodwin delivered a perfectly placed free-kick from the left, allowing Lewis Millar to head home, leveling the score at 1-1.
The second half saw Australia continue to press, and they took the lead in the 53rd minute. Jackson Irvine’s incisive pass from midfield found Goodwin in space, and the winger unleashed a spectacular long-range strike, blasting the ball past Wang to make it 2-1.
Australia maintained control as Riley McGree narrowly missed extending the lead, while Millar had a late effort fly over the bar. However, in the dying moments of stoppage time, Nishan Velupillay sealed the win on his debut, calmly slotting the ball past Wang to secure Australia’s 3-1 victory.
The result marked Australia’s first win of the campaign, following a loss to Bahrain and a draw with Indonesia in September. Meanwhile, China PR remains at the bottom of Group C, suffering their third consecutive defeat after earlier losses to Japan and Saudi Arabia. The victory offers Australia a crucial boost in their quest for World Cup qualification as they continue their campaign.
Credit Photo : AFC
