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Socceroos vs Paraguay 2026 World Cup match thread 🇦🇺🇵🇾

Yellow cards expire after the completion of the group stage and again after the quarter finals.

Circati, Bos, Souttar, Italiano on yellows.
 
JS96 said:
Paraguay have really emptied their tank in this game. They made some changes to the USA game and more changes might come.

They'll probably want to win as 4 points and negative GD may not be enough but we'll know a little more once group A-C and E finish ahead of us.
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4 pts will almost certainly be enough. Both teams will be happy with a draw.
 
A win or a draw should be enough .However after the exertions of today's game and some players on yellow cards some rotation will be needed for the Paraguay game.Almiron having been red carded today will miss this game and he usually plays down the right hand side of the field while Enciso who has been Paraguay's main attacking threat is more of a left sided player.Italiano is on a yellow and has done a lot of work in both games so might need a rest.Also Souttar could do with a break having had a heavy training load and then has worked his butt off in defence.O'Neill and Okon also need to have rest as they have both been heavily involved in the first two encounters.I think the following should start:
Ryan

Metcalfe Geria Circati Herrington Bos

Trewin. Devlin

Volpato. Yengi Irankunda

Ryan starts not because Beach had a poor game but to give Maty a run so that if we progress he has game time.Metcalfe has the defensive capability to cope with Enciso and can still work as a wing back.Circati can handle being the central CB and Herrington gas height and passing ability.

Trewin is really a good 6 and is an excellent passer of the ball while Devlin will add grit to the double pivot role and from all accounts has improved his passing.Toure is not in top form so why not give Yengi a start and Volpato on today's second half showing is creative,skilful and has a bit of mongrel about him as well

I doubt Popa would be this radical but as he realised his selections today Leckie and Velupillay were not up to scratch so use this game as a good chance to rest players so that they are fresh for R32( providing we get there)
 
JS96 said:
Yellow cards expire after the completion of the group stage and again after the quarter finals.

Circati, Bos, Souttar, Italiano on yellows.
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So if they receive another yellow they still get suspended for the round of 32? Gotta think about who can't we afford to lose for that, assuming we make it though!

Out of those four, we can probably risk Italiano. But I'm probably starting Herrington for one of the others.
 
Socceroofan4life said:
So. My thoughts.

Fuck i was livid during the US game. Worst performance since ive seen from a socceroos team in that first half since..... maybe our friendlies against Brazil and France back in 2013? Maybe too harsh but I'm still fuming.

BUT. I can appreciate Poppas view on fitness and rotation. We are in quite decent shape as a squad. Volpato... two games in and just 45 minutes played. Irankunda just over 90. Toure rotated and similiar with Irankunda. In terms of minutes.

We have Irvine, one of our best midfielders slowly coming back into full fitness and he's only going to get stronger and can be so useful for us. Metcalfe getting some rest atleast, anything helps. These ARE atleast some positives to take away.

I can appreciate this. Our best and brightest players have not been run into the ground and we are still holding strong in second place where now only a loss can displace us. And even in the worst case of a loss we still stand a good chance to progress (DONT LOSE THOUGH POPPA). Taking some time to think. We are still matched on points as we were in 2006 and 2022. Today sucks. But get a result against Paraguay and we're going to be jubilant. We CAN get a result againt them.

Where In 2018 we play the same line up in both games with no rotation and very little sub work and we are just flat out exhausted in that third game. Same in 2014. 2022 not as bad but when we got the round of 16 we were exhausted, we just had nothing left in the tank.

I can appreciate Poppa taking this into account. And I think we will actually look more fitter and and more dangerous as the tournament goes on thanks to this, and not have our star players tired and exhausted and worn out. Giving us a real shot at making the round of 16.
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Not sure if you give Poppa more credit than he deserves. 9 of our players weren't rotated from the first game and the only 2 that were rotated were our goal scorers. #PopaLogic
 
Socceroofan4life said:
So. My thoughts.

Fuck i was livid during the US game. Worst performance since ive seen from a socceroos team in that first half since..... maybe our friendlies against Brazil and France back in 2013? Maybe too harsh but I'm still fuming.

BUT. I can appreciate Poppas view on fitness and rotation. We are in quite decent shape as a squad. Volpato... two games in and just 45 minutes played. Irankunda just over 90. Toure rotated and similiar with Irankunda. In terms of minutes.

We have Irvine, one of our best midfielders slowly coming back into full fitness and he's only going to get stronger and can be so useful for us. Metcalfe getting some rest atleast, anything helps. These ARE atleast some positives to take away.

I can appreciate this. Our best and brightest players have not been run into the ground and we are still holding strong in second place where now only a loss can displace us. And even in the worst case of a loss we still stand a good chance to progress (DONT LOSE THOUGH POPPA). Taking some time to think. We are still matched on points as we were in 2006 and 2022. Today sucks. But get a result against Paraguay and we're going to be jubilant. We CAN get a result againt them.

Where In 2018 we play the same line up in both games with no rotation and very little sub work and we are just flat out exhausted in that third game. Same in 2014. 2022 not as bad but when we got the round of 16 we were exhausted, we just had nothing left in the tank.

I can appreciate Poppa taking this into account. And I think we will actually look more fitter and and more dangerous as the tournament goes on thanks to this, and not have our star players tired and exhausted and worn out. Giving us a real shot at making the round of 16.
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I share your exact thoughts about the 1st half though. We were absolutely appalling. Completely shell-shocked. Zero ability to retain the ball. Just dreadful for a game that meant so much.
 
Oh great we can lose 2:0 and still look good. Czech or RSA winning changes that. Need Brazil to win heavily against Scotland. Hope Qatar can hold Bosnia.
 
ClockworkOrange said:
Weird thing is that we can beat Paraguay and still not qualify for final 16 … so no better than 2010, 2014 and 2018.🤷‍♂️
I really don’t like 48 teams.
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The live knockout bracket has the Socceroos playing Iran in the round of 32 before we face either Argentina or Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 should we get the job done as results currently stand, bearing in mind that Germany are in action against the Ivory Coast and currently level with them.
 
ClockworkOrange said:
Weird thing is that we can beat Paraguay and still not qualify for final 16 … so no better than 2010, 2014 and 2018.🤷‍♂️
I really don’t like 48 teams.
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I find the tightness of our group has been a test on its own.

The last tournament group was actually harder but this tournament felt like any 4 could advance.
 
JS96 said:
I find the tightness of our group has been a test on its own.

The last tournament group was actually harder but this tournament felt like any 4 could advance.
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Yes, this was the most even group with fewest ranking spots separating highest and lowest ranked. Pretty sure it’s the first time we’ve entered a WC ranked ahead of two other group members.
 
Not sure why so many are so keen on rotation. The players are super-fit professionals - many of whom are used to two games a week during the season. One game every six days is looxury.

Also, if yellow cards are erased after the group phase, there's no need to worry about more.

Play our strongest team vs Paraguay - unleash Irankunda and Volpato from the start.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
Also, if yellow cards are erased after the group phase, there's no need to worry about more.
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We're worrying about the players like Harry Souttar and Alessandro Circati who are already on yellow cards and would have to serve a suspension in the round of 32 if they were to receive another one against Paraguay though.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
So they're not erased then. Only if there are less than two?
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It's only if players are on single yellow cards at the conclusion of the group stage and the quarterfinals but if they receive two over the course of the group stage and in the rounds of 32 and 16 they still have to serve a suspension in their subsequent match.
 
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