Olyroo midfielder Neil Kilkenny of Birmingham City was ecstatic when talking to www.au.fourfourtwo.com after the match. “Obviously it was a big game. We done it in style.

“They looked strong late in the first half. We done well to stop them coming back into the game,” he said.

“We feel confident. We needed a win tonight. Hopefully we’ll get through this group.”

The unbeaten Olyroos were at full strength with a number of their overseas stars back as well key players currently playing in the Asian Champions League in the line up.

Australian starting line-up: Daniel Vukovic (gk), Ruben Zadkovich, Adrian Leijer, Mark Milligan (c), Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Leigh Broxham, Neil Kilkenny, Nicholas Ward, Bruce Djite, Mark Bridge, Kristian Sarkies. Substitutes from: Trent McClenahan, Adam D'Apuzzo, David Williams, Benjamin Griffin, Dario Vidosic, Nathan Burns, Tando Velaphi (gk)

Saudi Arabia starting line-up: Waleed Ali (gk), Maajed A Alamri, A.Z. Abdullatif (c), Saleh Alghwainim, Motaz Almosa, Hassan Fallatah, Saad Altheyab, Ahmed Alsuwailh, Jufain Albishi, Abdulaziz Aldawsari, Mohammed Alanbar. Substitutes from: Mustafa Malaeka, Mohammed Albishi, Mohammed Alsahlawi, Ahmed Al Mubarak, Yousef Alsalem, Ibrahim Shrahili, Alaa Alrishani

Referee: Abdul Malik (Singapore)
Conditions: drizzle, approx. 18 degrees
Live from Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide


2' a Saudi player down already with a head-knock

4' the weather is cooling down as the drizzle turns into a shower... could suit the Australians more than the visitors

6' both sides feeling each other out, not much to report on so far

7' Alsuwailh gets the first shot for the match, the pressure by Topor-Stanley is too much however and the shot goes way over

9' a decent shot from Bridge is blocked by a Saudi defender, the game opening up a little

13' an excellent cross from Djite reaches Bridge, whose volleyed shot from an angle goes nowhere near goal

16' Australia wins its 2nd foul on the corner of the penalty area in as many minutes, Sarkies' strike too close to the keeper however

18' yellow card Australia: Milligan in with a rash challenge

22' yellow card Saudi: Alghwainim, who tangles with Ward

25' Australia launches an exciting raid on goal, which is foiled by the desperate Saudi defence

30' Saudi wins the first corner of the game, which goes straight to Topor-Stanley

32' Saudi with another corner, again straight to the Aussie defence

32' Alghwainim gets a shot in from an acute angle, Saudi evening up the contest over the past five minutes

37' Saudis get their fourth shot at goal, however it's another ineffective long range one

38' foul count now 5-5

39' Saudis this time with a short corner, Vukovic eventually snaps it up

40' yellow card Saudi: Alanbar obstructs the Aussie keeper who was looking to take a quick kick

42' corner number four for Saudi

43' Australia wins its first corner, the ball almost eventually getting towards Leijer who doesn't quite get to it

46+' a Sarkies corner goes straight to the tall Saudi keeper

Half-time: 0-0

A fairly even contest so far, with the visiting team maybe having the better of play. The Saudis have some very fast players, and are making some decent breaks, however the Australians have themselves managed a couple of useful passages of play in front of goal.

Half time stats (Australia-Saudi Arabia):
. shots: 3-4
. fouls: 5-5
. offsides: 2-0
. corners: 2-4
. cautions: 1-2

46' second half is underway, no substitutes for either team

47' yellow card Saudi: Fallatah kicks the ball away unnecessarily

49' Bridge links well with Djite whose pass on to Kilkenny results in a shot which goes just wide

54' Australia wins a corner after a Kilkenny shot is deflected out of play by the Saudi defence

55' substitute Saudi: Alsuwailh off, Alsalem on. The dangerous-looking Alsuwailh seems to be suffering from a knock received a couple of minutes earlier

61' Australia with the bulk of possession so far in the second half, but still unable to trouble the Saudi keeper since half-time

65' substitute Australia: Ward off, Williams on

66' Sarkies has a blast which is deflected over goal by a Saudi player's head, Australia awarded its fifth corner for the match

68' yellow card Australia: Djite with a crude tackle just outside the Saudi penalty box

70' substitute Saudi: Alghwainim off, Alsahlawi on

70' substitute Australia: Djite off, Burns on

72' Saudi gets its first shot for the second half, but it goes well wide

73' yellow card Saudi: Altheyab just outside (left of) the penalty area takes Zadkovic out, Australia earning the free in a manacing position...

74' GOAL AUSTRALIA ...the Sarkies free kick goes directly to Topor-Stanley, who heads in beautifully from 10m out to score the vital goal Australia so desperately needed. Australia 1-0

78' Saudi pressing for the equaliser with two or three chances already since Australia's goal

82' Bridge holds on to it too long in the penalty area, he instead eventually crosses it towards Kilkenny whose shot is deflected wide for a corner

83' Williams unleashes a fierce shot from 12m which goes just wide, Australia looking to kill off the game

86' Saudi player ruled offside with the visitors looking hungry for the equalising goal

89' Australia still holding on here, with probably not too much time to be added on

90' yellow card Australia: Leijer

three minutes of added time to be played... its exciting stuff here at Hindmarsh Stadium

90' Burns lays it back to Sarkies whose shot from 15m out goes agonisingly just over

93' GOAL AUSTRALIA Kilkenny pushes the ball wide to Burns far on the left, Burns lays the ball perfectly across goal to an unmarked Sarkies who firmly sidefoots it into goal from 15m out, giving the Saudi keeper no chance. Australia 2-0

94' The referee blows full time with Australia earning its first win of the Olympics qualifying group stage. Australia (5 pts from three games) now lies just one point behind leaders Saudi Arabia in the group, with the other two teams Iran and Jordan, both currently on one point, playing off in the early hours of Thurs morning (Australian time). Signing off from Hindmarsh Stadium.

FINAL SCORE: AUSTRALIA 2 - 0 SAUDI ARABIA

Courtesy of FFA