The Syrians have been a handful against Australia, making for a tricky World Cup qualifying round in 2017 with a double header which ended in scorelines of 2-1 and 1-1, with a Tim Cahill brace in the home leg of the tie seeing Australia through.

The Socceroos also clashed with Sryia in the 2019 Asian Cup in a virtual knockout game, with the two sides only split by a long-range Tom Rogic strike.

Follow along below for live updates. All times are AEDT.

11.35PM: BACK IN ACTION

We’re all systems go in the second half. No substitutions made in the major break.

11:23PM: HALF TIME

We go into the break at nil-all, with the Socceroos still in control – but only just.

Syria looked dangerous in the back section of the first half, with several well-controlled thrusts against the Australian defence.

Australia had several chances, but wasn’t able to make the most of them.

We’re in for an enthralling second half.

11.17PM: SYRIAN ATTACKING MORE AS STOPPAGE TIME BEGINS

Syria has put together several good attacking thrusts in a row here, as we enter stoppage time.

Pablo Sabbag has sent a shot above the outstretched hands of Maty Ryan in goals as the Qasioun Eagles have spent more time in attack in the last 10 minutes, and looking better than the Socceroos while doing so.

Ammar Ramadan was on the outside screaming for the ball though for that Sabbag shot, and arguably had a cleaner path to goal.

Minutes later Sabbag ran into big Harry Souttar in the box to repel yet another attack.

11.10PM: CORNERS MISSED AT BOTH ENDS

Syria has had three rare forays in attack in a row, with one repelled by Australia’s defence and another corner sailing far over the net.

Ammar Ramadan then missed a golden chance for the Qasioun Eagles in the clear after a Jones header to clear landed in his lap.

It followed another half-chance from Jackson Irvine for Australia from a corner, just missing a lunge to put head to a ball deflecting off Jones.

Five minutes to go in the first half.

10.57PM: O’NEILL HANDED A YELLOW CARD

Aiden O’Neill has won a free kick and been handed a yellow card in the same play.

Pablo Sabbag pulled on his arm, giving up a free kick to the Australian centre, which caused O’Neill to jerk his arm up colliding with the Syrian forward’s nose.

Sabbag has spent a bit of time on the ground getting a bloodied nose cleaned by trainers but otherwise he looks fine to continue.

10.49PM: CHANCE GOES HIGH, SOCCEROOS LOOKING STRONG

Jackson Irvine has sent a diving header well above the crossbar off a Connor Metcalfe free kick.

Was hardly what you’d consider a chance considering how far he had to dive for it, but the Socceroos are looking far more dangerous in attack than they did last match against India.

A few minutes later he connected with another header, but it sailed high above the pack and safely into the hands of Syrian keeper Ahmad Madania.

10.36PM: SYRIA BOUNCES ONE OFF THE WOODWORK

Syria’s Pablo Sabbag has nearly got the Qasioun Eagles off to the best start possible, firing a shot across a diving Maty Ryan but thundering into the woodwork!

Nearly a nightmare for Australia but luckily they’ve been saved by the post.

The ball went straight down the other end where a set piece was unable to be finished off at ground level by the Socceroos.

10.30PM: AND WE’RE OFF

We’re off and running against Syria!

10.15PM: SOCCEROOS COMING IN WITH FORM

The Socceroos have kept four clean sheets in a row coming into tonight’s clash, with eight conceded in the five before that.

Syria has registered just the one victory in its last five starts, a 1-0 win over North Korea.

The Syrians have a stunning 93 per cent completion rate on tackles, but beyond that haven’t moved the needle much from a statistical point of view – not being overly threatening in their attack on goal against Uzbekistan at this Asian Cup, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

We’re just 15 minutes away from kick-off.

9.30PM: THREE CHANGES FOR SOCCEROOS

Graham Arnold has made three changes to the side which overcame India 2-0 last week, with goalscorer Jordan Bos set to start on the field alongside Cameron Burgess and Aiden O’Neill.

Keanu Baccus, Riley McGree and Craig Goodwin will all start on the bench, but you’d expect to see them on the park at some stage.

We’re now just an hour away from kick-off in Qatar.

EARLIER: Australia must make the most of their aerial superiority at the Asian Cup, coach Graham Arnold says, starting against Syria in their second game on Thursday.

The Socceroos began their campaign in Qatar with a 2-0 win over India on Saturday but had to wait until the 50th minute before Jackson Irvine broke the deadlock.

Australia have one of the tallest players in the tournament in 6-foot-6 (1.98m) defender Harry Souttar and Arnold wants to capitalise on their height advantage.

“Our set pieces were not great against India,” the coach said on Wednesday. “We had a lot of corners and that is probably one of our strengths. We just need to improve on those little things.”

Australia reached the last 16 at the World Cup just over a year ago in Qatar before bowing out to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina.

Arnold’s physically imposing side are among the contenders for the Asian Cup, and their clean sheet against India was their fourth in as many games.

Fullback Aziz Behich said Arnold had put the emphasis on “defending as a team”.

“When we press or when we’re in a block, we make sure we’re very compact and make it difficult for the opposition,” said Behich. “Especially since Arnie came in, we’ve improved on that a lot.”

Behich was part of the Australia team that won the 2015 Asian Cup on home soil, beating South Korea in the final.

The 33-year-old said he would “like to do it again” and believes they are capable of making it happen.

“We have got a great squad, we started the tournament with a win, it’s always important,” he said. “We’ve put India behind us now and our next challenge is Syria, so full focus on Syria.”

SOCCEROOS HISTORY AT THE ASIAN CUP

2007: Quarter-finalists

2011: Finalists

2015: Champions

2019: Quarter-finalists

Originally published as Asian Cup live: Socceroos v Syria – Graham Arnold’s men a tall order for opposition