Unfancied Bahrain managed to start their 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers third round campaign on the best way possible as they stunned Group C powerhouses Australia 1-0 at the Robina Stadium in Gold Coast on Thursday.
Australia, reduced to 10 players after Kusini Yengi’s red card in the 77th minute, suffered a late setback when Harry Souttar accidentally deflected Abdulla Alkhalasi’s cross into his own net, giving Bahrain their first-ever win over the Socceroos.
Playing in the Gold Coast for the first time, Australia nearly took an early lead just two minutes in when Alessandro Circati’s shot was heavily deflected, forcing Ebrahim Lutfulla to make a crucial save, tipping the ball over the crossbar.
Bahrain, under head coach Dragan Talajic, adopted a defensive approach, focusing on launching long balls to the quick-footed Ali Madan to exploit spaces behind the Australian defense.
Australia came close to breaking the deadlock in the 33rd minute through a short corner routine, as Craig Goodwin surged into the box and delivered a cross that Aiden O’Neill hooked over the bar.
Goodwin was at the center of Australia’s attacking moves, providing a perfect cross just before halftime that gave Yengi a golden opportunity, but the Portsmouth forward missed the target from close range.
Both teams returned from the break unchanged, but after a quiet 13 minutes, Australia’s coach Graham Arnold made the first substitution, bringing on Bayern Munich II forward Nestory Irankunda for Hibernian’s Martin Boyle.
As Australia’s forwards began to tire, Talajic responded by introducing fresh legs, replacing strikers Madan and Mahdi Hasan with Husain Abdulaziz and Ebrahim Alkhatal.
The second half was disrupted by frequent stoppages, and Bahrain gained a numerical advantage when Yengi was sent off for a high boot that struck Sayed Baqer in the neck.
Bahrain capitalized on the red card in the 89th minute when Alkhalasi’s cross from the left deflected off Leicester City loanee Souttar, flying past goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and sealing Bahrain’s surprise win.