Australia will continue their preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar with a friendly game against New Zealand this Thursday in Brisbane.
Venue: Suncorp Stadium (Brisbane)
Key Statistics
Australia have won eleven of their last 13 games at home (D1, L1).
They have not lost as pre-match favourites since January 2019 (W14, D3).
New Zealand have lost three of their last five away games (W2).
They have not scored against non-Oceanian opposition in three attempts (D1, L2).
The visitors just one win from their last 22 meetings against current top 100-ranked nations (D4, L17).
Head to head
In 64 meetings between both sides, Australia have enjoyed the superiority with 40 wins. New Zealand have 13 wins while eleven games ended in a draw.
Latest performances in all competitions
Australia: W-W-W-L-L
New Zealand:
Australia
Three months after securing their place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Australia will get back to the pitch looking to continue their preparations in a positive mood with a win in the first of this double header friendly match with neighbours New Zealand.
It’s been 100 years since both sides made their international football debuts with a series of friendlies in 1922, and the tight-knit neighbours will celebrate a centenary of achievements with a home-and away-series this week.
This first leg at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium also doubles as the Socceroos’ final appearance on home soil before they travel to Qatar for the upcoming World Cup.
And so Socceroos manager Graham Arnold has opted not to use this series to discover his World Cup starting XI, selecting only 14 players with ten or more international caps in a 31-man squad.
He will hope that the squad that he claims to have chosen “in part, with an eye to the future” in mind will not disappoint in this first leg.
Possible Australia starting line-up
Mathew Ryan; Nathaniel Atkinson, Trent Sainsbury, Milos Degenek, Joel King; Aaron Mooy, Jackson Irvine; Awer Mabil, Ajdin Hrustic, Martin Boyle; Jamie Maclaren.
Injured: None
Suspended: None
New Zealand
This is also the first time New Zealand are playing after they failed to qualify for the World Cup.
The visitors were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Costa Rica in the playoffs of the World Cup group stage. And so they will come into this game with nothing much to play for save giving the fans something to cheer about this period.
This game is the All White’s first meeting with Australia since 2011 and could also mark the penultimate match for head coach Danny Hay, whose contract expires at the end of October.
The New Zealand coach recently expressed frustration with the FA’s decision to not play against any opposition for at least six months following this two-legged tie.
He will hope that his reign, if it is indeed the end of the road for him, will end on a more positive note. However, the chances of that happening has been complicated by the absence of some key starters for this leg, with Sarpreet Singh and Clayton Lewis injured, Kosta Barbarouses suspended and Marco Rojas omitted.
Possible New Zealand starting line-up
Alex Sail; Billy Tuiloma, Winston Reid, Nando Pijnaker; Joe Bell; Tim Payne, Marko Stamenic, Matthew Garbett, Liberato Cacace; Alex Greive, Chris Wood.
Injured: Sarpreet Singh and Clayton Lewis
Suspended: Kosta Barbarouses
Prediction
Australia 2-2 New Zealand
