The Australian national team began its journey in the 2026 AFC U-23 Championship with a valuable and exciting victory over its Thai counterpart by two goals to one, in the match that brought them together today on the grounds of Al-Shabab Club Stadium in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, as part of the first round of Group D competitions.
A fiery start and a decisive turning point
The match saw a strong and surprising start from the Thai national team, who caught their opponents off guard with an early goal in the eighth minute through Sittha Punlia, putting the Australian team under early pressure. However, the major turning point of the match came in the eleventh minute when the referee showed a red card to Thai player Phon-Eek Manikorn after consulting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), leaving Thailand to finish the match with ten men.
Australia is exploiting the numerical shortage
Australia capitalized on their numerical advantage, launching a series of attacks to get back into the game. This pressure paid off in the 29th minute when Ethan Alagić converted a penalty to level the score. Just a minute later, Australia delivered a second, decisive blow, with Mathias McAllister scoring the winning goal in the 30th minute, turning the game around in a mere two minutes.
The context of Group Four and the competition
This victory is a significant step for the Australian national team in their quest to top Group D, considered one of the toughest groups in the tournament, which also includes China and Iraq. These three points are crucial in the calculations for qualifying for the quarterfinals, especially given the format that allows only the top two teams from each group to advance.
The Kingdom is hosting the continental event
This match is part of the AFC U-23 Championship being hosted by Saudi Arabia, reflecting the Kingdom's growing role as a global and continental sporting destination, in line with its vision to host major sporting events. The tournament provides an ideal opportunity to discover young talents who will shape the future of Asian football in the coming years.
Dates for upcoming rounds
The group stage matches are scheduled to resume next Sunday, with fans anticipating a tough encounter between China and Australia in a true test of the top spot, while a wounded Thailand will face Iraq in an attempt to bounce back. The competition continues into the knockout rounds, which will begin on January 16th and 17th, with the tournament concluding with the final match on January 24th.
