Stalemate tightens World Cup qualifying group Disallowed goal denies visitors barely deserved win
It was a funny game, Australia’s 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw with Saudi Arabia on Thursday evening. It was a contest in which neither side could be said to have played at their best but, at the same time, both will have left AAMI Park kicking themselves that they didn’t take the three points. For the Socceroos, it was a tale, yet again, of telling moments going begging. And for the Green Falcons, inches, if that, that denied them a dramatic 95th-minute winner.
With just seconds remaining, having not created all that much going forward across the second half, the ball sat up for Sultan Al-Ghannam at the top of the box on the second phase of a corner. The 27,491 fans in the stadium held their breath and the Al-Nassr wingback seized the moment, driving a low effort beyond Joe Gacui and into the bottom corner of the net. It was a dagger, a late strike that had won the game. Pandemonium broke out on the Saudi bench and the strong contingent of their fans in the stands.
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