Preview: Syria vs. Australia - prediction, team news, lineups

The Soccceroos lead Group B with three points, following a 2-0 triumph over India on matchday one, while the Syrians held onto a 0-0 draw against Uzbekistan.

Match preview

For a third time this century, Syria avoided defeat in their opening Asian Cup group fixture, maintaining a clean sheet in their first match of this tournament now on back-to-back occasions.

Hector Cuper has a reputation for being a master tactician, and his side were remarkably organised against Uzbekistan, holding them to just two efforts on target despite having 34% of the possession.

While they are unbeaten in their three matches played this year, this team have only won one Asian Cup encounter in the 21st century, stunning Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their opening match in 2011.

Syria have never made it beyond the group stage of this tournament but are expected to contend this time around, losing just one of their previous five fixtures versus Asian opposition (5-0 to Japan).

The Syrians have claimed at least a point in every one of their Asian Cup campaigns but have lost each of their encounters at this tournament when conceding in the opening half.

While they still seek that elusive first triumph versus the Socceroos, Syria have given them all they can handle, conceding a 90th-minute winner against them at the previous Asian Cup (3-2 defeat) while squandering a 1-0 lead in 2017 (2-1 loss) and coming back to earn a 1-1 draw in their first ever meeting that same year.

The opening result may have gone their way, but Australian manager Graham Arnold was far from impressed by his team's performance, with the Socceroos looking overzealous and out of sync in the first 45 minutes.

Arnold has vowed there will be more improvements from his players in this encounter, with the Aussies currently riding a five-match winning run in all competitions without a goal conceded over that stretch.

Australia have won their last three group fixtures at the Asian Cup, scoring multiple times in each of those triumphs.

A victory combined with a draw or win by India on matchday two would send the Aussies through to the knockout stage for a fifth successive occasion.

Meanwhile an Australian triumph combined with a draw between Uzbekistan and India would mean the Socceroos win their group for the first time since 2011.

They have lost their last three matches at this tournament when conceding the opening goal, failing to reply in each of those instances.

Syria Asian Cup form:

Syria form (all competitions):

Australia Asian Cup form:

Australia form (all competitions):

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Team News

Maksim Sarraf is the only Syrian player on the Asian Cup roster without an international appearance, while Aiham Ousou, Mahmoud Al Aswad, Jalil Elias and Pablo Sabbag were all in the starting 11 for the first time in this competition on matchday one.

Amro Jenyat is five appearances away from 50, Fahd Youssef is nine short of that mark and Ammar Ramadan needs one more cap to reach double-digits.

Ahmad Madania got the start in their opener, replacing captain Ibrahim Alma, stopping two shots to collect the clean sheet, while Omar Khribin is on 21 goals for the national team, one behind Zyad Chaabo for fifth all-time.

Martin Boyle, who missed the 2019 Asian Cup for the Socceroos because of a knee injury, started for the second time in their last three international fixtures this past weekend, playing just over an hour before being replaced by Samuel Silvera.

John Iredale and Patrick Yazbek were not on the bench in their opening encounter as they are both still seeking their first international caps with Australia, Riley McGree made his 20th international appearance, Bruno Farnaroli picked up his third cap, while Aziz Behich collected his 65th.

Jackson Irvine scored his first goal in an Asian Cup fixture this past weekend, Jordan Bos put home his first with the Socceroos 30 seconds after entering the match in place of Craig Goodwin, while Matthew Ryan collected his 31st international clean sheet and can surpass Alex Tobin for fifth in all-time appearances, with the Aussie goalkeeper currently on 87.

Syria possible starting lineup:

Madania; Jenyat, Ousou, Krouma, Ajan; Youssef, Elias, Ham, Ramadan; Khribin, Dali

Australia possible starting lineup:

Ryan; Jones, Souttar, Rowles, Behich; O'Neill, Irvine; Boyle, McGree, Goodwin; Duke

We say: Syria 0-1 Australia

The Syrians can frustrate their opponents but are still missing some quality going forward, which for them has often made the difference between winning and losing.

Australia do not have as much individual quality as they had in previous Asian Cups but have build up some solid continuity and always seem to do enough to get by against defence-minded opponents.

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