Australia 7-0 Bangladesh: 2026 World Cup qualifying – as it happened

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Summary

Right, that’s all you need from me for one night. I’ll hand you over to Joey Lynch’s speedily filed match report. Stay tuned for more reaction and analysis during the week. Cheerio.

Next up for the Socceroos is a trip to Kuwait on Tuesday to face 96th ranked Palestine.

After that, qualifiers go on hiatus for January’s Asian Cup in Qatar. Then a double-header with Lebanon in March should confirm the Socceroos’ progress to the third round later in 2024.

What did we learn?

Jordy Bos has only just turned 21 but he is the present and the future. He’s got it all – strength, pace, technique, and superb execution – and promises to be a decade-long presence on Australia’s left.

Nothing new, but Harry Souttar is a threat from set-pieces – especially when the delivery from Craig Goodwin is so accurate.

Lewis Miller has got something. He’s only 23 and this was just his third cap, but there’s some mongrel that Arnold will enjoy, and he stuck to his task for 90 minutes, scrapping for possession, taking on his man on the outside, and whipping in crosses. Very promising performance.

Against better teams there’s an absence of control in the middle of the park. Without Aaron Mooy or Tom Rogic Australia lacked a calming presence on the ball in midfield. It didn’t matter tonight because the Socceroos were able to pass and move so quickly and overload with the inverted fullbacks, but against better teams they will need to figure out how to control the pace of a game or risk becoming exclusively a counterattacking side.

Finally, we didn’t learn as much about the fringe players as you might have hoped – especially for a team 4-0 up at half-time. The substitutions were largely senior players, apart from 20 minutes at the end to Kusini Yengi.

Jordy Bos has come far in just his handful appearances for the Socceroos. Photograph: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Updated at 06.26 EST

A satisfying night for Graham Arnold as he celebrates becoming the longest-serving Australian head coach. He got his tactics and selections spot on, doing what was required on the night and opening the door to what’s to come later in this qualification campaign.

Updated at 06.23 EST

Full-time: Australia 7-0 Bangladesh

Job done for the Socceroos who get their 2026 World Cup campaign up and running in emphatic fashion.

90+2 mins: Another lovely switch from the centre to the right. Miller again does what he has to, getting an early cross over, but this time Maclaren hooks over the bar from six-yards out.

Missed Penalty Australia (Luongo)

Comical stuff from Sahil after getting robbed by O’Neill’s press. He tries to obstruct the Australian, then fails to pull him back, and eventually, after riding so much pressure, the Socceroo accepts being hacked down in the box.

Luongo is handed the opportunity from the spot but his tame effort is saved smartly low to his right by 19-year-old Mitul Marma.

GOAL! Australia 7-0 Bangladesh (Maclaren, 84)

Maclaren does get his hat-trick! And just like his previous efforts it’s a tap in. The hard work was done by O’Neill finding Miller on the right. His cross to the near post was perfect for the sharp run of the No 9, and he was perfectly placed to glance the ball into the back of the net.

80 mins: The referee has blown his whistle at every opportunity tonight but keeps his air in his lungs when Behich goes down in the box for what looks like a nailed on spot-kick. Classic performatively bad refereeing. Still I’ll take this any day over VAR.

78 mins: Maclaren should have a hat-trick but he drives Bos’ pullback into Yengi on the goalline. Maclaren had time to pick his spot there but rushed the finish after yet more excellent work from the youngster Bos down the left.

74 mins: Miller has been waging a one-man war against Bangladesh down the Australian right, and his industry drives Saad Uddin to concede a frustrated yellow card. Bos heads narrowly wide from the resulting set-piece.

Updated at 05.47 EST

73 mins: It’s a debut for Kusini Yengi with the Portsmouth striker replacing Brandon Borrello for Australia.

Kusini Yengi makes his Socceroos debut. Photograph: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images

Updated at 05.50 EST

72 mins: Another excellent Bos cross, but this time Maclaren can’t finish from point blank range.

GOAL! Australia 6-0 Bangladesh (Maclaren, 70)

Bangladesh just about clear the initial delivery, but Bos returns it with interest, bursting on to the loose ball and slaloming past defenders like George Best. By the edge of the box a shooting chance opens up for Luongo but his angled drive is saved – only as far as Maclaren who taps in his second of the night from a combined distance of about four yards.

Jamie Maclaren celebrates scoring his second goal. Photograph: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Updated at 05.42 EST

68 mins: Lovely interplay from Miller and Luongo on the right and the latter’s cutback to Borrello is inch perfect but the shot is blocked behind off the boot. From the corner…

67 mins: The umpteenth cross of the night from the right by Miller is deflected behind for a corner. Burgess heads the resulting set-piece over.

65 mins: Baccus makes way for O’Neill as Australia make their fourth change of the night.

64 mins: Australia have a free-kick in a situation similar to a corner. Both Burgess and Souttar are double marked in the box, so the rolled pass to Luongo is smart, but he’s also smothered before he can pull off a shot in anger.

62 mins: The first audible organised chant of the night comes through the TV coverage, and it’s the local anti-Sydney FC number. Not a great look at a half-full stadium.

59 mins: Triple change for Bangladesh. The skipper Bhuyan, along with the two men on yellow cards, Tipu and Hossain make way for Islam, Hasan, and Mohammed Shakil Hossain.

58 mins: Another ball intot he box goes begging. First Maclaren, then Luongo, fail to connect cleanly after good work from Miller on the right.

56 mins: Now Baccus is booked for a needless challenge in midfield. It wasn’t a yellow card though. This referee has not impressed me tonight.

55 mins: Brilliant from Bos again. Too quick and too strong down the left, causing havoc. His feed into the box should have been tucked away but the golden jerseys were running away from the ball, not to it.

53 mins: Another excellent save from the Bangladesh goalkeeper, keeping out Borrello’s fierce hit from the edge of the box.

51 mins: Good hustle from Maclaren and Borrello forces a turnover in Bangladesh’s half. As Australia counter Tipu makes a dreadful challenge for which he is deservedly booked.

GOAL! Australia 5-0 Bangladesh (Maclaren, 49)

And right on cue, there is Bos, accepting the pass from Behich, and crossing square along the ground for Maclaren to tap home from two yards out. Another Plan A goal from the Socceroos. Arnie will be thrilled.

Jamie Maclaren scored within four minutes of taking to the pitch. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Updated at 05.32 EST

47 mins: Two of those changes are like-for-like, but the arrival of Behich pushes Bos into a more advanced left-wing role.

46 mins: Three changes at the interval for Australia. On come Luongo, Maclaren and Behich, for Duke, Irvine, and Goodwin.

A quick reminder that James Paraskevas’ pre-match prediction of 6-0 with Mitch Duke scoring four (including a hat-trick of headers) is still on!

“Australia 4-0 up at half time, in the cricket Australia have South Africa at 44-4 going into a rain delay,” emails Phil Withall. “An unusual sporting symmetry. Could be worth keeping an eye on (or may be a pointless exercise in nothingness).” Let’s check in at 8-0 and see if the Proteas are 88-8?

Half-time: Australia 4-0 Bangladesh

Everything going according to plan for the Socceroos as they begin their 2026 World Cup campaign in style.

The Socceroos get off to a good start against Bangladesh in Melbourne. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 05.16 EST

44 mins: Nearly five! Bos gets two bites of the cherry down the left, and from the second his cross is delightful. There’s almost a header near the penalty spot, then Metcalfe smashes the loose ball goalbound but there’s a smart save on the line.

42 mins: Miller again drops his shoulder and earns a corner by going around the outside heading for the byline. The delivery is again wicked from Goodwin but this time Marma gets a solid fist to the ball and punches clear.

41 mins: Now Irvine goes close but his effort from the edge of the box is deflected and pushed behind for a corner. The set-piece is menacing once again but Burgess cannot get enough on his effort under pressure.

GOAL! Australia 4-0 Bangladesh (Duke, 40)

Duke has a quickfire double! Bos is the instigator on the left. His cross is headed clear, but only as far as Borrello, who lashes a rasping volley against the foot of the post. The rebound lands fortunately at the feet of Duke who does just enough to deflect the ball into the unguarded net.

GOAL! Australia 3-0 Bangladesh (Duke, 37)

A third goal was inevitable, and it’s another header. Metcalfe dinks over a hopeful cross but Duke turns it into an assist by bullying the defender in front of him, and whipping a powerful header that screams over the flat-footed goalkeeper. That was like an Australian Rules full-forward bullying his direct opponent with body strength. Excellent old-fashioned striker’s goal.

Mitchell Duke scores the Socceroos’ third goal from a header. Photograph: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images

Updated at 04.56 EST

37 mins: It’s now become a bit of an exhibition match with Australia dominating the ball and Bangladesh getting increasingly ragged trying to keep up…

35 mins: So many of Australia’s promising moves begin with Bos on the left finding a yard of space with his strength and quick feet. He is a serious talent, and now he’s filled out he looks an imposing footballer.

33 mins: And from Goodwin’s beautiful inswinging delivery Baccus should score, but he glances a free header a fraction over the apex of bar and post.

32 mins: Another Miller cross is bundled out for a corner.

30 mins: Miller drops a shoulder and goes around the outside of the Bangladesh fullback near the touchline but his cross is blocked desperately before it could cause trouble. He has impressed me down the right. He’s hard as nails and backs himself on the ball.

Lewis Miller is making just his third appearance for the Socceroos after debuting against England in October. Photograph: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images

Updated at 04.54 EST

27 mins: Should be three! Lovely ball between the lines by Baccus for Goodwin. The cross is begging to be thumped home at the far post but Borrello can only divert his header straight at the keeper who makes a reflex save.

23 mins: Another clear set play from the Australian coaching staff is making use of the left boot of Burgess to ping crossfield passes from left centre-half to the right wing. You can see its value against stronger opponents but tonight it serves only to slow play down and allow Bangladesh to close down the intended recipient.

Graham Arnold watches on from the sideline. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

Updated at 04.45 EST