China 0-2 Australia with Nishan Velupillay also on target againVictory in Hangzhou sets up showdown in Saudi Arabia in JuneJackson Irvine further established himself as the face of the Socceroos, Nishan Velupillay netted his third goal in just his fourth senior international, and Australia weathered a second-half storm to take another step towards securing automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a 2-0 win over China.Given that the worst part of it may have come 1,900km away in Saitama, where Saudi Arabia held Japan to a 0-0 draw to stay within touching distance in their qualification group, it was a good evening for still undefeated national team boss Tony Popovic and his side at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium. Continue reading...
Australia defeated China 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Hangzhou, with goals from Jackson Irvine and Nishan Velupillay. This win puts Australia three points ahead of Saudi Arabia in their group, setting up a crucial match in Saudi Arabia in June. China's loss means they cannot qualify for the World Cup in this phase.
