Abhinav Nair
Australia will look to move on from their disappointing start to the third round of AFC World Cup qualifiers as they host China on Thursday.
The Socceroos followed up their shock 1-0 defeat to Bahrain in their opening match with a disappointing goalless draw against Indonesia in their last World Cup qualifier.
Similarly, China have had a disappointing start to this round of World Cup qualifiers, suffering a 2-1 defeat against a 10-man Saudi Arabia. This loss leaves them without any points so far in the campaign.
WATCH:Australia vs. China LIVE on Paramount+
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
Here’s how to watch this AFC World Cup Qualifying match in Australia:
TV channel: 10 Play
Live stream: Paramount+, 10 Play
This game is available for live TV broadcast on 10. Streaming options are available on Paramount+ and 10 Play.
If this match is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favourite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
WATCH FROM ANYWHERE: Sign up for NordVPN (30-day moneyback guarantee)
This AFC World Cup Qualifying clash takes place at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia and kicks off on Thursday, October 10 at 6:40 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across Australia:
New manager Tony Popovic has made some changes to Australia’s squad, including giving Melbourne Victory winger Nishan Velupillay his first call-up.
Additionally, Ipswich Town star Massimo Luongo who had retired from international football returns for Australia and could feature. Allesandro Circati and Conor Metcalfe miss out due to injuries.
Australia predicted XI (4-4-2, right to left): Ryan (GK) — Miller, Souttar, Burgess, Behich — Silvera, Irvine, Baccus, Goodwin — Irankunda, Duke.
Injured: Circati, Metcalfe
Suspended: None
China head coach Branko Ivanovic is under certain pressure to get results, which could lead him to make certain changes for his side’s upcoming games.
They will be without strikers Yang Zexiang and Wu Lei for this match, with Cheng Jin and Hu Hetao set to deputise in their place.
China predicted XI (4-4-2, right to left): Wang (GK) — Gao, Browning, Zhu, L. Li — Abduweli, Y. Li, Jiang, Xie — Conceicao, Jin.
Injured: Wu Lei, Zexiang
Suspended: None
Australia have a slight historical edge over China coming into this match, with the Socceroos having won three of the seven clashes between both sides, as opposed to their opponent’s two victories in this tie.
Despite not having the ideal start to this round of AFC World Cup qualifiers, Australia should comfortably see off China who have been in worse form in recent matches, with home advantage pushing them to victory.
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Abhinav Nair is a content producer for The Sporting News working across global editions.
