Bahrain Shocks Australia in World Cup Qualifying Match

Bahrain has achieved a surprising 1-0 victory over Australia in the opening match of the third round of Asian qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The match took place at Robina Stadium on the Gold Coast and marked Bahrain’s first-ever win against Australia in seven encounters.

The Bahraini players celebrated heartily after the final whistle, having made a strong start in their quest to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time. The Socceroos, on the other hand, faced a tough blow after the dismissal of striker Kusini Yengi.

In the dying moments of the match, with the score tied at 0-0 and Australia down to 10 men, Abdullah Al Khalasi made a significant contribution. He delivered a cross from the left wing in the 89th minute that deflected off Australian defender Harry Souttar, wrong-footing goalkeeper Mat Ryan and resulting in an own goal.

The crowd of 24,644, who had anticipated an Australia victory, was left in shock as the game ended with Bahrain securing the win. Australia’s efforts to equalize in the six minutes of stoppage time were unsuccessful, with Mitch Duke missing a key chance to score.

Australia’s coach Graham Arnold acknowledged the difficulty of the loss, noting it as a learning curve for the players. He emphasized that proper execution is essential against strong teams like Bahrain, as he credited them for their performance throughout the match.

With this setback, Australia aims to regroup ahead of their next match against Indonesia in Jakarta, while Bahrain prepares to face Japan at home in Riffa.