Australia forward Tim Cahill. (Photo : Getty Images)
Group B leaders Australia (5-1-0, 15 points) is set to face struggling team Tajikistan (1-3-2, 5 points) at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia on March 24th, Thursday as the AFC 2018 World Cup qualifying tournament continues.
It was the second and last meeting of the two squads in the group stage of the said tournament. Their first encounter was in the fourth matchday of Group B competitions with the Socceroos pulling off a 3-0 rout at the Pamir Stadium in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Sep. 8th last year.
Australia is coming off a 4-0 walkover of lowly team Bangladesh during matchday 8 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Nov. 17th of last year, as per Reuters.
Vice-captain Tim Cahill, who is currently suited with Chinese Super League club Hangzhou Greentown, bagged a hat trick at the sixth, 32nd, and 37th minute to give Ange Postecoglou's side a quick 3-0 lead early in the match.
The fourth goal was scored by team captain Mile Jedinak two minutes before the halftime break to complete the Socceroos four-goal haul against the Bengal Tigers.
Meanwhile, Tajikistan is also coming from a win against Bangladesh, 5-0, in a matchday 7 clash at the Pamir Stadium also on Nov. 17th, via Soccerway.
Winger Manuchekhr Dzhalilov netted four goals during the convincing victory, at the 16th, 26th, 59th, and 74th minutes respectively, as the 5-foot-9, 25-year-old Russian footballer was unstoppable throughout the match.
Teammate Akhtam Nazarov scored one goal via a penalty kick at the 51st minute to achieve the Persian Lions' five-goal performance.
It was only the first win of head coach Mubin Ergashev's squad after six tries in the qualifiers, which will not be enough for the team to qualify to the final round of competitions.
Only the top teams of the eight groups plus the top four runner-up teams in each group will advance in the third round of the qualifying tournament. The 12 teams will then be divided into two groups with the top two teams in each group qualifying to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The predicted result is a 4-0 romp for Australia.
Australia starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Federici; McGowan, Wilkinson, Wright, Sainsbury; Jedinak, McKay, Mooy, Luongo; Cahill, Leckie
Tajikistan starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Tuychiev; Nazarov, Rajabov, Ergashev, Jalilov; Vasiev, Makhmudov, Dzhalilov, Sharipov; Saidov, Tukhtasunov
