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44 mins: Souttar drifts into midfield and cuts open the Bahrain defence to find defensive partner Circati charging down the right. The 20-year-old can’t quite get to the ball in time but that was more promising as the Socceroos push for an opener on the brink of half-time. 41 mins: CHANCE! Behich moves the ball quickly to Goodwin down the left and the winger whips in a cross to find Yengi at the far post. The striker takes the shot first time but can only fire wide. That’s what Australia have been probing away for across the past 10 minutes but it ended in a tough chance for Yengi. 38 mins: Bahrain are defending deep as Australia knock the ball around their midfield and defence under very little pressure. With no obvious paths through the low block the hosts return to their seemingly preferred long diagonal route. 33 mins: An exquisite first-time ball from Irvine finds Boyle in space on the right but the right winger is blocked before it reaches Metcalfe charging into the box. That’s the first sign of variety and creativity in attack for Australia for quite some time, and we’re yet to really sight Kusini Yengi while he’s leading the line. 31 mins: Australia clear a pair of defensive corners then win one closer to their own goal. Goodwin heads to the right flag to take it as the Bahrain defence looks rattled simply by Souttar’s presence in the six-yar box. A short corner ends with Goodwin on the right side of the box, a sharp cross lands with O’Neill but the midfielder can’t keep the volley down and is still yet to score for the Socceroos. 28 mins: Australia have tried a number of diagonal balls to bypass the midfield, usually targeted towards Goodwin down the left but now aiming one in Boyle’s direction on the right. A couple of passes around the edge of the box before Bahrain are able to clear. 25 mins: Bahrain have worked their way on top with some neat exchanges in their attacking third, though without threatening inside the box or anywhere near Ryan’s goal. Australia could do with some time with the ball just to regain some control. 20 mins: The frenetic opening has made way for a sloppy period with both teams giving the ball away too easily, while Bahrain search for an opening in their attacking half and Australia struggle to move the ball past half way. 16 mins: The game has settled into a rhythm now as Socceroos midfielders Aiden O’Neill and Connor Metcalfe find more of the ball. But Bahrain make some positive moves down their right, as both teams are looking to work away on the same side of the field. 13 mins: Australia are relying on their left side as an outlet with Craig Goodwin prominent in attack. Aziz Behich is the one to get a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box but Bahrain clear to the side of the corner flag. VAR checks for a handball in the build up but it is quickly waved away. 10 mins: Australia are left scrambling as Bahrain break clear with a three-on-two that turns into a two-on-one until a defender gets a long leg in to work the ball away on the edge of the box. That was a great opportunity for the visitors. 7 mins: Australia are very nearly through the Bahrain defensive line but the linesperson raises the flag for offside. Jackson Irvine is none too pleased, perhaps wondering why play wasn’t allowed to continue to its natural end, which would be a fair question to pose. Both sides launching into this match with plenty of energy. 4 mins: Socceroos gloveman Maty Ryan comes charging to the edge of the penalty box and leaps high at a bouncing ball. The keeper clears the ball with a firm fist but takes out a Bahrain attacker at the same time. VAR is in play at this stage of qualification but the Australia skipper is fortunate to have got a hand to the ball amid a robust challenge. 3 mins: Martin Boyle takes the Socceroos’ first corner as Harry Souttar is among the threats in the box, but Bahrain deal with the cross and work the ball out of defence. 1 min: An early shot from Australia gets a deflection off a Bahrain boot and the ball sails over the post for a corner. A positive start for the home side in front of raucous support. The national anthems have blared out and the first men’s full international on the Gold Coast is now under way with the Socceroos in their familiar yellow and Bahrain starting play in red. If Australia’s third round group including Japan, Saudi Arabia, China, Indonesia and Bahrain feels familiar, that’s because it should. As Joey Lynch explains: “If familiarity does indeed breed contempt, Australia and Japan would be forgiven for having one of the most contemptuous rivalries in football. The reality is that their rivalry is one is largely built of mutual respect. “This campaign will mark the fifth consecutive World Cup cycle the Socceroos and Samurai Blue have been paired in the same qualification group, continuing a trend that first began when Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 – fresh off defeating Japan at the World Cup in Germany. ” More on Group C at: Here is the Socceroos line-up in full. ?  Here’s our starting lineup to face Bahrain ? ?? v ? ? - 8: 00pm AEST? ?? Channel 10, 10 Play, Paramount+#AUSv BHR #Socceroos pic. twitter. com/SOpfn Cn Auk Captain Maty Ryan returns to the starting line-up after sitting out the last of the second round qualifiers in June as he finalised his plans for the current season. The 32-year-old has since moved to Serie A giants AS Roma though is yet to make his mark with the gloves and should appreciate any minutes he gets with the Socceroos. Craig Goodwin is also back for his first match with the Socceroos since March and arrives with strong form for Al-Wehda in the Saudi Pro League behind him, while Martin Boyle will start on the opposite side. Kusini Yengi will again lead the line after impressing in the second round of qualification, while Alessandro Circati will partner Harry Souttar in the centre of defence as Graham Arnold backs in youth at either end. But Nestory Irankunda has been unable to force his way into the starting line-up with the teenage sensation named as a sub. The 18-year-old was included in the Socceroos squad after overcoming an injury scare in training with Bayern Munich – here is that squad in full for this match against Bahrain, as well as the clash with Indonesia on 10 September: Kick-off is 8. 10pm at Robina Stadium on the Gold Coast, with more times covering just about every neck in the woods shown below: ? ️? ⏰ Where will you be watching #AUSv BHR? ℹ️ How to watch: https: //t. co/Qy59ha Neg0#Socceroos #Different Breed pic. twitter. com/2QP94K9S3n The road to the 2026 World Cup is a long and winding one and Australia have taken it further off the beaten track with a first men’s football international on the Gold Coast as they begin their third round qualification campaign against Bahrain. The Socceroos breezed through the second round with a perfect record from six matches while blasting 22 goals without conceding, but will expect to face tougher tests from here. Graham Arnold’s side have been placed in Group C alongside familiar foes Japan and Saudi Arabia, as well as China, Indonesia and tonight’s opponents. Australia have beaten Bahrain in all of their previous six meetings, though the 80th-ranked side are on a four-match unbeaten run and finished second in their group behind the UAE in the previous World Cup qualification stage. The most recent encounter between these sides might be relatively fresh in the memory as Australia won an Asian Cup warm-up match 2-0 earlier this year with Mitch Duke scoring after a Bahrain own goal. Arnold would probably take that same result now with the margin for error tightening as the Socceroos chase a top-two finish in a tricky third round group to advance directly to the World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico. More pathways will open up if Australia finishes third or even fourth in their group, but the focus for the 24th-ranked side will rightly be on avoiding the playoffs this time around. It's official, tonight's match is a sell out! ? Incredible support on the Gold Coast ? ?? v ? ? - 8: 00pm AEST? ?? Channel 10, 10 Play, Paramount+#AUSv BHR #Socceroos pic. twitter. com/v8c Bv DFz Fp