“We’re happy with the win and the automatic qualification. We had a goal before the match, which was to win. I’m proud of the players and the coaching staff. I’m happy and optimistic about what’s to come,” Popovich said. 

“It’ll sink in as the days go by. It’s been a very intense period since I’ve joined, and I’ve loved it so far. We’ve done the first part – qualifying automatically – and now the next part is to be bigger and better for the World Cup. So, enjoy a few days, and I’m proud of all the staff and players.”

Popovich, who took over from Graham Arnold following Australia’s slow start to their AFC Asian Qualifiers campaign, highlighted his side’s resilience - a trait he believes has come to define his team.

“We didn’t expect this path. We were playing well and coped with the difficult circumstances. That’s been a characteristic from the first day I arrived."

“We went 1-0 down against China PR and came back to do it here in this atmosphere. You’ve got to deal with the weather as well. It’s not easy to show that character, resilience and then quality to come back, take the lead and win the game.

“I’m delighted. We’ve built a good foundation now. We want to really get better, kick on and try and do something special at the World Cup.”

For Saudi Arabia head coach Herve Renard, the defeat at home was a frustrating reminder of his team’s struggles in the final third. 

"As we expected, we played a strong match against a physically strong team and got off to a strong start with the first goal. At the end of the first half, we conceded a goal in a single shot, and then at the beginning of the second half, we conceded another goal,” Renard said. “The players responded well after the second goal, and we wasted many opportunities, just as we did in the qualifiers. Our focus now is on October (playoffs). 

"We played against a tough and strong team, especially in terms of physical strength. The players did their best. The difference is that Australia and Japan have more points. We wasted many opportunities. Imagine that we missed three penalty kicks here in Jeddah.”