/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.footballwhispers.com%2Fmain%2F2026%2F11%2FICONSPORT_378334_0061-1.jpg)
After the postponement of the Asian Cup, Qatar will entertain Australia in an international friendly, with pride on the line on Friday, November 13, in Doha.
Australia should be brimming with confidence after a fairly successful World Cup by their standards, but this window offers nations like these the opportunity to offer playing time to those fringe players.
The visitors have already named seven uncapped players who travelled to Doha, while none of them have expressed concern about the dangerous activity in the region or pulled out of the upcoming two friendlies.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Qatar vs Australia key stats
- Qatar lost three of the last five matches that they have hosted.
- The Asian side blanked in 60% of their recent five outings in front of their home fans.
- Australia have scored in each of their last three games on the bounce.
- Only one of the previous five head-to-heads saw both teams score a goal.
Qatar vs Australia preview: Aussies on a high
| Qatar | vs | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | FIFA Ranking | 26 |
| Hassan Al-Haydos (193) | Most Caps | Aziz Behich (89) |
| Almoez Ali (61) | Most Goals | Harry Souttar (11) |
| 1426 | Total Caps | 346 |
| 194 | Total Goals | 35 |
| 1 | Uncapped Players | 7 |
Qatar made it to the World Cup in North America, but it was not a campaign to remember, as they returned home without a single victory to their name.
Julen Lopetegui's men did earn themselves a point against Switzerland in their opening group game, which was their first-ever point at the global showpiece, making it a more successful tournament than the one they hosted in 2022.
With the Asian Cup being pushed back because of the issues surrounding host country Saudi Arabia, Qatar now have more time to prepare for the continental competition.
The Maroons are heading into this friendly off the back of the Arabian Gulf Cup, where they finished second in Group B to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.
Unfortunately, eventual winners Saudi Arabia knocked them out in the last-four stage, with the game finishing goalless after 120 minutes, which was then decided by spot kicks.
Lopetegui's troops are technically winless in their last two outings, which should be music to the ears of the visiting side.
The previous international window saw Australia welcome Brazil to the land down under, where they suffered one defeat but heroically held the Selecao to a draw in their opening game.
Tony Popovic would have been incredibly proud of the display his charges put on against the five-time World Champions, as Carlo Ancelotti's men were made to sweat.
The Socceroos led in the first game through a Nestory Irankunda strike in the 68th minute, but conceded the equaliser in the 95th minute to break the home fans' hearts.
Australia were then beaten 4-2 in the second clash, but not before giving the South Americans another scare by leading 2-1 at some point in the game.
Popovic will hope that his men can carry that momentum into Doha to snatch a win, before their trip to Amman to square off against Jordan.
It is widely expected that Diesel Herrington, younger brother of Lucas Herrington, will get his first cap during this break, as Popovic starts looking ahead to the future, in particular, the Asian Cup next year.
Qatar vs Australia form guide & betting tips
| Qatar | vs | Australia |
|---|---|---|
L
W
W
D
L
|
Form |
L
D
L
D
L
|
| 5 | Goals For | 4 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 8 |
D
L
L
L
D
|
International Friendly Form |
L
L
D
D
L
|
Whispers predicts: Qatar 1-2 Australia
With the Aussies priced at 1/1 (2.03) to win, they are the value pick here, considering that they have just recently given Brazil a tough time.
The home side have been struggling to score goals, but with the Socceroos having conceded six goals in their recent three outings, it is possible that Lopetegui's men breach the visiting defence, making the BTTS – Yes at 21/25 (1.84) a decent pick.
While Qatar could get some joy off the Aussies, the visitors are likely to enjoy themselves a little more, and if Nestory Irankunda plays from the start, their attacking play may prove too much for the hosts to withstand, which could see the total goals – over 2.5 at 1/1 (2.03) odds come into play.
> Both teams to score – Yes at 21/25 (1.84) | Likelihood: Medium
> Over 2.5 goals at 1/1 (2.03) | Likelihood: Medium
> 1×2 – Australia at 1/1 (2.03) | Likelihood: High