Syria striker Omar Al Somah plays club football in Saudi Arabia for Al Ahli
Omar Al Somah scored a late penalty as Syria kept their 2018 World Cup hopes alive with a draw in the first leg of their play-off against Australia.
In their previous match, striker Al Somah netted an injury-time equaliser against Iran as Syria finished third in their Asian qualifying group.
He also converted the leveller in Malaysia - where Syria play their home games - after Robbie Kruse's opener.
The return leg takes place in Sydney next Tuesday (kick-off 10:00 BST).
Tomi Juric twice hit the post for the visitors, while Mouaiad Al Ajjan could have won it for Syria in injury time, but his strike was brilliantly kept out by Brighton goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.
Huddersfield midfielder Aaron Mooy started for the Socceroos, while QPR's Massimo Luongo and Celtic's Tom Rogic came on as second-half substitutes.
The winner of the tie will go on to face a Concacaf side in another two-legged match next month for a place at the World Cup.
Read more: Football on the Frontline - The inside story of Syria's World Cup dream. Syria's equaliser sparked wild celebrations from players and fansLine-upsMatch StatsLive TextLine-upsSyria1Almeh21Youssef2Al MasriBooked at 87mins18Al Medani3Ajjan8Al MaowasSubstituted forAl Khatibat 76'minutes20Al MbayedBooked at 13mins14Haj Mohamad13KalfaSubstituted forAl Jafalat 45'minutes9Al Soma7KharbinBooked at 78minsSubstituted forMardikianat 80'minutesSubstitutes4Al Baour5Somi6Jenyat10Al Khatib11Al Jafal15Al Shbli16Mido17Omari19Mardikian22Al-Youssef23MadaniehAustralia1Ryan20Sainsbury2DegenekBooked at 51mins6Jurman10KruseSubstituted forLuongoat 69'minutes13Mooy5MilliganBooked at 45mins7LeckieBooked at 80mins16Behich19RisdonBooked at 36minsSubstituted forRukavytsyaat 63'minutes9JuricSubstituted forRogicat 83'minutesSubstitutes3B Smith4Cahill11Goodwin12Langerak14Troisi15Amini17Rukavytsya18Vukovic21Luongo22Irvine23RogicReferee:Alireza FaghaniMatch StatsHome TeamSyriaAway TeamAustraliaPossessionHome34%Away66%ShotsHome16Away14Shots on TargetHome4Away5CornersHome9Away4FoulsHome15Away17Live TextPosted at
Match ends, Syria 1, Australia 1.
Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Syria 1, Australia 1.
Posted at 90'+5'
Offside, Syria. Oday Al Jafal tries a through ball, but Omar Al Soma is caught offside.
Posted at 90'+4'
Aziz Behich (Australia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'+4'
Foul by Firas Al Khatib (Syria).
Posted at 90'+3'
Attempt missed. Firas Al Khatib (Syria) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Oday Al Jafal.
Posted at 90'+3'
Foul by Tomas Rogic (Australia).
Posted at 90'+3'
Mardik Mardikian (Syria) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 90'+2'
Offside, Syria. Fahd Youssef tries a through ball, but Mardik Mardikian is caught offside.
Posted at 90'+1'
Corner, Syria. Conceded by Mat Ryan.
Posted at 90'+1'
Attempt saved. Mouaiad Al Ajjan (Syria) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Firas Al Khatib.
Posted at 90'+1'
Attempt blocked. Oday Al Jafal (Syria) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Posted at 89'
Mark Milligan (Australia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 89'
Foul by Mardik Mardikian (Syria).
Posted at 89'
Offside, Australia. Tomas Rogic tries a through ball, but Nikita Rukavytsya is caught offside.
Posted at 89'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Posted at 88'
Delay in match Ibrahim Almeh (Syria) because of an injury.
Posted at 87'
Attempt saved. Trent Sainsbury (Australia) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Aaron Mooy with a cross.
BookingPosted at 87'
Hadi Al Masri (Syria) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 87'
Massimo Luongo (Australia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 87'
Foul by Hadi Al Masri (Syria).
Goal!Posted at 85'
Goal! Syria 1, Australia 1. Omar Al Soma (Syria) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
Posted at 84'
Penalty conceded by Mathew Leckie (Australia) after a foul in the penalty area.
Posted at 84'
Penalty Syria. Omar Al Soma draws a foul in the penalty area.
Posted at 83'
Hand ball by Mark Milligan (Australia).
SubstitutionPosted at 83'
Substitution, Australia. Tomas Rogic replaces Tomi Juric.
SubstitutionPosted at 80'
Substitution, Syria. Mardik Mardikian replaces Omar Kharbin.
BookingPosted at 80'
Mathew Leckie (Australia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 80'
Foul by Mathew Leckie (Australia).
Posted at 80'
Mouaiad Al Ajjan (Syria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 78'
Foul by Nikita Rukavytsya (Australia).
Posted at 78'
Hadi Al Masri (Syria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
BookingPosted at 78'
Omar Kharbin (Syria) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 78'
Mark Milligan (Australia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 78'
Foul by Omar Kharbin (Syria).
Posted at 78'
Attempt saved. Omar Al Soma (Syria) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Firas Al Khatib.
Posted at 76'
Attempt missed. Tamer Haj Mohamad (Syria) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is close, but misses to the left.
Posted at 76'
Massimo Luongo (Australia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 76'
Foul by Omar Kharbin (Syria).
Posted at 76'
Foul by Mark Milligan (Australia).
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Source: bbc.com