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Qunbar comes off to get some rest. He's worked very hard all game and played very well. He is replaced as the main target man by Mahmoud Wadi.

Excellent long ball from centre back Mohammed Saleh over the top finds Seyam open down the right flank. He brings the high ball down with wonderful control and fires in a low cross but it's blocked and out for a throw-in.

Fresh legs up top as Seyam exits the right side of the front three to be replaced by Islam Batran.

Qunbar goes to ground just inside the Australia half down the left in the hope of getting a free kick from Harry Souttar. No such luck as the referee tells him to get up.

We are almost ready for kickoff in Kuwait. Stick around as we will have all the action for you here on Tribe momentarily!

Craig Goodwin with a wicked inswinging corner on his left foot from the right side. He picks out the man mountain centre back Harry Souttar, who heads powerfully past Hamadeh into the roof of the net. Socceroos open the scoring.

Fresh legs for the Socceroos as striker Mitch Duke and midfielder Keanu Baccus head to the bench to be replaced by Jamie Maclaren and Aiden O'Neill.

SHOT! Australia register a first shot on the Palestine goal and it comes from long range, about 30 yards out from Metcalfe. It comfortably sails into the arms of the Palestine goalkeeper.

Fourth official indicates a minimum of five minutes for Palestine to search for an equaliser.

Lewis Miller comes on for right back Ryan Strain, who has not been able to continue after going down moments ago. Pity as Strain was having a good game down the right side.

FOUL! Miller wins a free kick. He wriggles past several Palestine players as he breaks into the Palestine half. Rashid manages to bring him down when a few of his teammates couldn't. 

Good play down the right side again for Australia. Duke drops deep to link up with Metcalfe, playing the winger in down the line. As Duke runs back centrally to get on the end of the cross, Metcalfe's delivery is blocked and out for a corner.

Ryan Strain goes down unchallenged on the left touchline just inside his own half. He is holding his groin and looks to be in a great deal of discomfort. Strain receives treatment on the side of the pitch as play goes on.

A ball is looped in from just outside the right corner of the Australia box. It's brought down by Qunbar, with his back to goal. He swivels and attempts to strike on goal. Palestine players appeal for a penalty after the ball strikes a hand just inside the box. Nothing doing in the view of the referee, but decent play from Palestine.

Australia manage to get out of there with the victory but it was by no means an easy game. The Socceroos could have made it two if it hadn't been for the crossbar but in the end they settle for Harry Souttar's goal as the difference maker. Palestine made life very hard for their opponents tonight, defending doggedly and even creating a few chances of their own. However, ultimately, the right team won and Australia maintain their 100% record at the start of this campaign.

No real chances from either side for some time. Australia are having a lot more of the ball now but Palestine are doing well to keep the pace of the game where they want it and defend resolutely. Australia flashing occasional balls in but always cleared by the first man.

And we're underway in Kuwait as Palestine begin proceedings in their all-red kit. They play the ball back towards their defence before it is launched long into the opposition half. Australia are playing in their alternate all-blue kit. They regain possession with a throw in deep inside their own half.

Two more changes from Graham Arnold as Australia freshen things up a bit. Goodwin off for Bos and Boyle off for Borrello.


Harry Souttar is understandably double-marked on the corner, taken from the right side by Metcalfe. The winger opts to whip it in low towards the front left post at pace, but the ball is met strongly at that post by a Palestine defender.

For the Socceroos, there are four changes. Harry Souttar is the only member of the back four which played against Bangladesh to keep his place as Lewis Miller, Cameron Burgess and Jordan Bos all drop to the bench to be replaced by Ryan Strain, Kye Rowles and Aziz Behich. The only other change is in the support striker position as Brandon Borrello is benched in favour of Martin Boyle. Mitch Duke leads the line up front once again for Graham Arnold's side.

The ball comes out to right back Miller who is challenged strongly by his opposite number Qunbar on the right at the halfway line. Throw in Australia.

FREE KICK! Qunbar is fouled in a dangerous area. He jostles with Miller and manages to get the better of the decision as both players go down on the edge of the left corner of the Australia box. Very good position for a Palestine set piece. That Miller/Qunbar battle has been one of the more intriguing of the game. The free kick comes in but it fails to beat the first man and is easily cleared.

SHOT! Tamer Seyam is the latest to unleash a slap-shot from just outside the Australia box. He collects the ball just right of the goal on the edge of the box and fires well wide of the right post with power.

Mitch Duke does very well to hold the ball up after a high ball comes into the box. He brings it down in the centre of the box and lays it off to an onrushing Jackson Irvine whose smashed effort is deflected wide for a corner.

Another attack for Palestine. Zeid Qunbar breaks down the left and strides towards the byline. His low cross is blocked and behind for a corner.

FREE KICK! Ataa Jaber caught by Mitch Duke about 25 yards out on the right corner of the Australia box. Great chance for Palestine to get a cross into the box.

And we're back underway at the Jaber al-Ahmad International Stadium as Australia kick off the second half. The ball is played back towards the Socceroos midfield before it's hit long down the Palestine right.

SHOT! Speculative strike from Jaber. Ball in from Abu Warda on the left flank is cleared on the edge of the Aussie box. As it falls down from the sky, Jaber catches it clean on the volley from some 30-35 yards out but his strike flies over the bar.

Saldana goes into the book for Palestine as the teams now have a yellow card a piece.

Palestine defended resolutely, kept possession well at times, and even created a few chances, especially in stoppage time when they went extremely close to equalising. The Aussies deserve to be one up at the break, but they will need to be at their best to secure the victory in the second half.

Substitute Mahmoud Wadi goes down just inside the box in the centre as the Palestinian players demand a penalty. Wadi swings at the ball to attempt to strike at goal but he misses the ball and goes down under no contact from the defender. Referee utterly unmoved by the Palestinian protests.

Looked like a potential penalty as Metcalfe breaks along the edge of the box onto his left foot to strike. He is challenged by Rashid in the centre just on the edge of the box. No foul. Palestine clear.

CORNER! Palestine go straight up the pitch from the kick off and win a corner. It's delivered from the left side low towards the left hand post but it's cut out and cleared by Australia.

The 0-0 draw against Lebanon was a positive result for Palestine, as they went into that game on the back of three consecutive friendly defeats against Vietnam,  Oman and China. That's without even mentioning the effects of what is currently going on in their country.

Behich picks up the ball in the half-space about 30 yards out. He plays in Craig Goodwin down the left side of the Palestine box. He attempts to cut the ball back but his cross along the ground is intercepted by Al-Batat. The ball is judged to have hit Goodwin last. Goal kick Palestine.

Jackson Irvine is fouled just inside his own half. He puts the ball down quickly as Behich smashes it long straight away in search of Boyle, who is running in behind into the box on the right-hand side. He is unable to get on the end of the ball. Quick thinking by Irvine, but didn't quite come off.

Souttar does well to read the player, anticipate potential danger and intercept as Palestine look to make hay down the left flank.

Australia would have known Palestine will not be the pushovers that Bangladesh were, but they will likely be surprised to see their opponents having the better of the play thus far.

CHANCE! Maclaren nods the ball down well in the centre of the box for Jordan Bos as the two Australians find themselves 2-on-2 with two Palestine defenders. Bos collects on the edge of the box and strikes low and hard but Hamadeh collects well and hits the ball long looking to release on the counter.

Mohammed Rashid makes way for Oday Kharoub in the centre of midfield, after a battling performance.

It's been a very entertaining first half from Kuwait City. Palestine have more than done themselves credit. The gap of some 70 places in the FIFA World Rankings is not evident based on what we saw in the first half. The Socceroos do have more quality, and they did threaten more than their opponents, getting that crucial Harry Souttar goal, but Palestine more than held their own.

Welcome to Tribe's coverage of this AFC World Cup 2026 qualifying clash between Palestine and Australia from the Jaber al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City, Kuwait. I'm Craig Resnik-Hanson and I'll be talking you through all of the action. Thanks for joining me!

Zeid Qunbar is almost played in behind as he runs on to a long through ball down the right side of the Australia half, but his efforts are foiled by the Australian defence.

Don't go anywhere. We have the second half from the Jaber al-Ahmad International Stadium coming up in just a few moments!

CLOSE! Rashid delivers a fine outswinging corner from the right side. It's cleared by the Socceroos defence but only as far as Abu Warda just outside the box in the centre. He catches it on the volley but his effort narrowly goes over the bar.

CLOSE! The fourth official indicates two minutes of first-half stoppage time, as Palestine win a corner down the left side. Midfielder Rashid plays it short to Al-Batat just outside the right corner of the box. His delivery finds is whipped in and met in the middle of the box by Jaber, who heads it over the Aussie defenders to Seyam, who brings it down and attempts to shoot some five yards from goal, but keeper Mat Ryan manages to crowd him out and get the ball behind for a corner heroically!

Palestine find some space down the left hand side, as their left back and left winger link up nicely close to the edge of the Australia box. Two attempted crosses are blocked by the Socceroos defence and away.

CHANCE! Martin Boyle breaks quickly through the centre-right of the Palestine half, before unleashing Ryan Strain overlapping down the right. He receives the ball close to the right byline and cuts a fierce cross back along the ground but Palestine manage to desperately clear.

SHOT! Substitute Borrello close to making an instant impact. He picks up the ball about 25 yards out, breaks into the Palestine dangerzone and strikes hard and low from around 18 yards. He targets the bottom left corner but the goalkeeper manages to get a hand to it. Corner Australia.

Qunbar feels badly done to as he gets in behind with a great run and feels he outmuscles Miller off the ball to be presented with a shooting opportunity on the left side of the box about 15 yards out. The whistle blows for a free kick against Qunbar in the Australia box.

CLOSE! Very nearly a big embarrassment for Mat Ryan. A long ball from the Palestinian right back Al-Batat bounces high in the air outside the Aussie box. The Socceroos goalie misjudged where the ball will land and is almost left blushing. He manages to head the ball well clear of his box amid confusion between him and his defenders.

Oday Dabbagh is caught high by Key Rowles with studs showing. He stays down for some time in a little bit of discomfort, gesticulating towards the referee. Palestine get a free kick on the right byline about 35 yards from goal. Dabbagh eventually gets back to his feet.

Australia conserving possession, passing the ball around the halfway line and inside their own box, but not much penetration these past few minutes from the Socceroos.

CHANCE! Arguably the best chance of the game for Palestine. Abu Warda picks up the ball on the edge of the Australia box, following some sloppy passing in dangerous areas from the Socceroos. He collects the ball, swivels and finds his teammate Dabbagh a few yards from the penalty spot to the left. He shapes his body to strike with his left foot. It deflects just wide of the left post and out for a Palestine corner. The corner comes to nothing.

These two sides enter the second gameweek of AFC World Cup qualifying having both picked up decent results in the first round of matches. Palestine managed to secure a point away at the similarly ranked Lebanon, while Australia predictably obliterated Bangladesh on home soil.

Palestine are still having a lot of possession, often in Australia's half, and playing the ball around nicely, but they lack that cutting edge to create chances.

That's all from Kuwait City as Australia pick up the win over Palestine. I've been Craig Resnik-Hanson for Tribe. We hope you've enjoyed our commentary of this AFC World Cup qualifying game. Now, we look excitedly towards the return of the Premier League this weekend. Until next time, thanks for using Tribe and goodbye.

 SHOT! Tamer Seyam curls the ball in with his left foot towards the bottom right-hand corner. Good save by Mat Ryan as he gets down to palm the ball across the byline for a Palestine corner.

Palestine beginning to create some chances and build a little bit of pressure. They are by no means out of this contest yet.

SHOT! Another effort from Jaber. Palestine break down the right-hand side as Seyam ends up on the right line of the Australia box. Rashid drags several defenders with him as he makes a brilliant run into the centre. Seyam finds Jaber on the edge of the box, but he miscues his effort and it sails well wide of the left post. Better than last time but still not close.

WASTE! Rashid lobs the ball over the Australia backline to find Tamer Seyam. He hits the right byline and has a golden opportunity, in space, to put a decent ball in the box for Palestine, but he hits the ball behind for a goal kick, as he stretches off balance to cross.

Given the gulf in class and FIFA ranking between these two sides, and the no doubt difficult preparations for the "home" side, Australia will of course be heavy favourites tonight but it may not be as straight forward as that when all is said and done.

Free kick in a decent position for Australia. Palestine give away a cynical foul about 35 yards from goal, slightly to the right. Goodwin stands over the ball. They play it short. Then attempt to get a ball in the box from the right wing. They win a corner.

Baccus obstructs Qunbar as the Palestine striker attempts to break out of his own half and reach a ball played over the top from deep. He is hauled down around the halfway line. Free kick Palestine.

In terms of team news, Palestine have made two changes to the side which drew with Lebanon. Central midfielder Mohammed Yamin is replaced by Mohammed Rashid, while striker Saleh Chihadeh makes way for Zeid Qunbar.

CLOSE! Australia get the ball down the right. Baccus hits a wonderful ball over the top down the right flank, which Boyle runs on to. He gets clear of the defenders and into the right side of the box, but a heavy touch allows keeper Hamadeh to slide out and intercept as Boyle cannot quite reach it to pull it back for one of his teammates. Boyle momentarily seems to win the ball from the goalie but the whistle blows for a Palestine free kick.

CLOSE! Almost a carbon copy of the goal from the first half. A corner is whipped in from the left side as the other substitute Bos also gets straight into the action, rising high in the centre of the box to meet the cross with a powerful header straight past Hamadeh. To his dismay, the crossbar saves Palestine and they clear the ball to remain just one goal down.

Meanwhile, Australia have continued the good form which saw them narrowly exit the Qatar World Cup in the last 16 to eventual champions Argentina. Friendly games since then have seen the Socceroos pick up respectable wins over Ecuador and New Zealand, draw 2-2 with Mexico, and lose close games against England and Argentina.

SHOT! A lovely long ball from Mat Ryan gets Australia up the pitch and finds substitute Miller on the right flank. He plays the ball back inside. It comes across to Goodwin on the centre-left, about 25 yards out. He dinks the ball over the top to towards the right post where Metcalfe meets it. The winger's first-time effort is saved well by Hamadeh.

Miller takes a throw-in from the right byline not far from the Palestine box. After some slack passing, they give up possession as Hamadeh begins recycling the ball across to the other side.

Lovely play from Souttar to find Boyle with a midfield-splitting pace. Nice, incisive pass gets the Socceroos up the field and into the Palestine half, but it comes to nothing.

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