Live: Socceroos silence record crowd in China after horror goalkeeper error

Jackson Irvine is the player of the match.

He’s talking to Paramount+.

“It’s been a tough season in front of goal at club level so it’s nice to break the drought,” he says of his goal.

It’s true – Irvine hasn’t scored at club level this season for German club St Pauli.

He is effusive about his team’s performance.

“We came in with a top mentality, we knew what was at stake,” he says.

“Everybody has produced, it’s been a massive team effort.”

In front of a very big crowd, that greeted defeat in near silence.

A far less impressive second half, but it was job done from the Aussies in China.

A comfortable victory off the back of a dominant first half has put the Socceroos in a brilliant position to claim that second automatic qualification spot from this group.

A long ball from the keeper is nodded down for Wang Ziming, whose shot is deflected wide.

The Chinese have been robbed of a corner though.

Zhang Yuning can’t recover in time and he limps off.

Wang Ziming is the man who replaces him.

A bit of an error at the back.

Cam Burgess and Mitch Degenek just got in each others way a little and China pounced.

Some quick passes saw Zhang Yuning find space but his turn and shot saw him go down with cramp and the ball fly well wide.

Mitch Duke is on, as is Anthony Caceres as Brandon Borrello comes off with Nishan Velupillay.

Perhaps that will facilitate a slight change in formation as Tony Popovic tries to answer a question that he knows China is trying to ask but hasn’t quite got around to spitting it out yet.

Oh that’s a beauty of a ball from Wang Yudong.

He finds Zexiang Yang at the back post, who slides towards goal but just can’t direct his effort between the sticks.

Much, much better from China.

They’ve still not shown a huge amount to be honest.

Bu they have now had nine shots, with one on target.

Australia has had seven with two on target.

It’s been a complete turn around from the first half and Australia has been frustrated I think, it’s just not happened for them in this second half.

Fortunately, China have shown little.

Aiden O’Neill and Fran Karačić are introduced as Tony Popovic goes to the bench for the first time.

Ryan Teague, who has been superb on debut, comes off, as does Lewis Miller, which I don’t think was a punishment for that shot, but may as well be.

Lewis Miller has a wild swing from a long way out after a lovely counter attack move, started by Aziz Behich.

It wasn’t the defenders best effort though, the ball flying well high and well wide of the target.

Mat Ryan snuffs out a potential chance for the hosts, with Zhang Yuning swivelling on the left side of the penalty area and crossing after some more tenacious fight and neat interplay from China.

Saudi Arabia comes away from Japan with a point.

Not, by all accounts, a performance that will strike fear into the hearts of Australia.

Saudi Arabia had one shot, none of which were on target, from 22 per cent possession.

Japan had 12 shots, but only two were on target in a rare off night for the Samurai Blue.

That could have been a horror moment for Lewis Miller!

He gives the ball away in the left corner of the pitch and the Chinese spring into action.

However, the Aussies are on the ball enough to get back and clear their lines.

But a small mental lapse was almost crucial there.

Wang Yudong, the 18-year-old, and Wang Haijian are coming on.

A huge ovation for the two substitutes.

Wang Yudong is a player that has a lot of people in China quite excited, the Zhejiang player.

It is his debut.

Calling this a chance may be overly generous.

The ball was whipped in towards Zhang Yuning at the near post but he heads the ball well wide.

Oh what a chance for Miloš Degenek!

He was left all alone at the back post, the most isolated man in the stadium for a second or two as the corner was whipped in towards him.

And he puts his shot into the side netting.

It’s the first chance the Socceroos have had in the second half of this game and just releases the pressure a little bit that they’ve been under.

More pressure, more intent from China earns a corner off the head of Cam Burgess.

The ball finds its way out to right back Zexiang Yang, who sets himself and then punches a woeful shot high into the stands behind the goal of Mat Ryan.