Australia and China Stumble in World Cup Qualifying

Australia's quest for a sixth consecutive World Cup appearance faced a setback as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Indonesia in Jakarta. Despite dominating possession with 20 shots on goal, the Socceroos couldn't find the net, leaving them goalless in Group C after a prior 1-0 loss to Bahrain. Australia's coach Graham Arnold expressed disappointment, noting the team's ongoing struggle to convert chances.

In another Group C match, China faced a last-minute 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in Dalian. Despite taking an early lead through an own goal by Saudi's Ali Lajami and playing against 10 men after Mohamed Kanno's red card, China couldn't hold on. Saudi Arabia's Hassan Kadesh equalized and scored the winning goal in the 90th minute, adding to China's woes following a heavy 7-0 defeat to Japan and recent match-fixing scandals.

Elsewhere, South Korea recorded a 3-1 victory over Oman in Group B, with Son Heung-min contributing a goal and two assists. In Group A, Uzbekistan and Iran both secured wins, maintaining their perfect records in the third round of qualifying. The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while third and fourth-placed teams will battle in additional rounds for two more spots.