Qatar 0-3 Australia
International Friendly
Friday 13 November 2026 | Jassim bin Hamad Stadium / Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha
Australia delivered a dominant first-half performance to defeat Qatar 3-0 in an international friendly in Doha. Riley McGree, Tete Yengi and Nestory Irankunda all scored for the Socceroos, with Connor Metcalfe providing two assists, as Tony Popovic’s side controlled the contest against Julen Lopetegui’s hosts.
First half
Australia struck almost immediately. In the fifth minute, Riley McGree finished calmly from inside the box to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead and set the tone for the remainder of the half.
The Socceroos continued to press and doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute. Connor Metcalfe played a precise through ball, and Tete Yengi finished with a right-footed shot into the bottom corner for 2-0.
Eight minutes later, Metcalfe was involved again, feeding Nestory Irankunda, who struck from outside the area to complete the scoring at 0-3. Qatar struggled to create meaningful opportunities, failing to register a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, while Australia dominated possession and dangerous attacks.
Second half
With the match effectively decided at half-time, both managers made changes. Australia brought on Kusini Yengi for his brother Tete, while Qatar introduced several substitutes in an attempt to gain a foothold. Assim Madibo received a yellow card, and Qatar had a late effort ruled out for offside, but they could not break through Australia’s defence. The Socceroos managed the game professionally to see out a comfortable victory.
Full-time: Qatar 0-3 Australia.
Key points
Australia’s clinical finishing and high pressing in the first half proved decisive, restricting Qatar to very few chances. The result continues a positive run of form for the Socceroos under Popovic as they prepare for upcoming fixtures, including the AFC Asian Cup cycle. For Qatar, under Julen Lopetegui, the defeat highlighted areas for improvement ahead of their next matches in the international window.
Match Report by Dr. Talal Osman
Manager, GCC Sport
