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Socceroos vs Turkey 2026 World Cup match thread 🇦🇺🇹🇷

That’s a hot take. They’ve definitely got good depth but I rage Turkey’s forward line and midfield higher. Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız are outstanding young players and Germany should be fuming that they didn’t manage to get the latter.
Kenan Yildiz was only just making his return to play for Turkey and Arda Guler was stifled by the Socceroos defensive line but we have to be careful next week especially after seeing how Malik Tillman and Christian Pulisic performed for the United States in their group stage opener against Paraguay, as well as the fact that Popaball has led to us conceding goals needlessly when we go up against strikers like Folarin Balogun who are clinical in finding the back of the net from open play.
 
“the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” applies to Australia,

Turkey is not the first team, and they won’t be the last to underestimate Australia. It always shocks me when opposition players and coaching staff come out after the match and say things like “this is not football” etc

Which I agree with, but how did they honestly expect Australia to play? lol its almost as if they dont do there homework and just expect to win because they've turned up and have the better technical players who all play club football in strong leagues
 
Which I agree with, but how did they honestly expect Australia to play? lol its almost as if they dont do there homework and just expect to win because they've turned up and have the better technical players who all play club football in strong leagues
Turkey expected the Socceroos to park the bus and needlessly commit turnovers and errors by having our defensive line crumble under the pressure applied by their midfield and forward line as opposed to having Popaball force them forward before our talls blocked their shots at goal, subsequently progressing downfield and finding Mo Toure and Nestory Irankunda who eventually found the back of the net.
 
Far to many comments to respond too individually.

All I can say is that Popa got this one pretty right... Must have shown the lads Greece 2004 vidoes all night. As for the GK Beach.. holy shit dude, someone build that bloke a statue.....

Turkey proved toothless and our backline too compact.. Metcalf scoring was just reward for an adventurous run and a defence that didnt respect his ability.. Irankunda... first touch put it beyond a doubt, split his 2 markers like they were u15s... One player I havent seen mentioned much who I thought did very well was Italiano on teh right... He had a difficult night but didn't loose his head...
 
Irankunda and Toure are so crucial to the team though. With them we are FAST and we can be away at any moment in the game. It's something the socceroos have lacked for quite a long time. Leckie used to be a speed demon but he never was able to dribble or take on his man the way Irankunda and Toure can.
Denmark would beg to differ ….
 
I wonder if there has been something lost in translation here. Did he mean dominate or did he mean control the match? Because they absolutely controlled the entire match.
I think he was pretty clear. Being born and raised in Germany (thus having gone through their school system) he should be able to speak English quite well.
 
Given the stature of clubs Turkey players play for, compared to Aus, this is arguably Aus’s biggest win in a WC along with Denmark in Qatar, then ranked 10th in the world.

I’m watching the replay - with no nerves!

A few points:

- Aus is winning 1v1 duels - body on body, heading, tackling and with a few speedy forwards, speed 1v1s. Just too tough and strong for the Turks, which would have upset them, and they alluded to after the game. Aussies playing in the Champ, MLS and A League, or Scotland, tend to have to use their bodies well.
Conversely, all through the game the 2 Turk left wingers constantly beat our wide players, by dribbling around Roos.

- Turkey are playing some quality football in possession - varying the point of attack. Both wings and central attacking third are used. Some neat weighted slightly angled balls into the box are constantly being negated by the Roo CBs though, from being anticipated or outmuscling Turk forwards.

- Like most recent games Aus are repelling nearly everything in the defensive pen box.

- Bos, Iran and Toure are the fastest players on the pitch. This is unsettling the Turks.

- By his own standards Bos had a poor offensive game.

- Toure as usual, is doing some excellent donkey work at times outmuscling the best Turk ball winners, their CBs. He is really putting himself about. Love it!

- Can’t believe after finishing 3rd in 2002 WC, Turkey has not qualified? Harry Kewell said the Turkish league was as good technically as the EPL, but teams were less organised. Turkey must be mentally fragile. Their football in midfield and attack on the ball is high quality.
Their Squeezing is intense and well organised off the ball in the attacking line and midfield.

- By gegenpressing, the Turks leave gaps between the defensive line and keeper - and - defensive line and midfield line, They lost the game through this- and being outmuscled by the Roo team of plodders and no names!
 
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