4 days ago
3
Australia spoiled Turkiye’s instrumentality to the World Cup signifier after 24 years by securing a 2-0 triumph successful their Group D opener connected Saturday (June 13, 2026), courtesy of goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Australia VS Turkiye LIVE updates
Australia got the opener connected the interruption erstwhile Irankunda controlled a shot over the top, took it past a defender and finished wrong the adjacent station in the 27th minute.
Australia's resolute defence repelled each of Turkey's attacks and the Socceroos doubled their pb successful the 75th infinitesimal erstwhile midfielder Metcalfe collected the shot astir 20 yards out and swept it home.
The result puts Australia 2nd successful the group down United States aft the co-hosts' 4-1 triumph implicit Paraguay on Friday (June 12, 2026).
Australia manager Popovic had pulled disconnected a monolithic daze successful his starting line-up, dropping experienced skipper and goalkeeper Maty Ryan successful favour of Beach, winning lone his 3rd cap.
Vice-captain Jackson Irvine was besides dropped successful favour of 21-year-old midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler successful a starting XI that featured 10 World Cup debutants.
Both of those selections proved to beryllium inspired, with Beach pulling disconnected a drawstring of good saves to contradict Turkey, who dominated possession and territory but could not find a mode past the Australian goalkeeper.
Okon-Engstler meantime was instrumental successful mounting up the opening extremity successful the archetypal half, unfurling a agelong shot that divided the Turkish defence and sent Irankunda racing successful connected extremity to score.
Türkiye — playing successful the World Cup for the archetypal clip since finishing 3rd astatine the 2002 tourney — arrived successful North America dreaming of making a superior tally successful the knockout rounds.
But their talented squad made up mostly of players who regularly vie successful the European Champions League were incapable to get to grips with a well-organised Socceroos line-up.
One of Turkiye’s champion chances came successful the 27th infinitesimal erstwhile Real Madrid’s Arda Guler forced a astute prevention from Beach with a rasping shot.
