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

OK - so here's where things stand in Group G

Current table:
Egypt 4pts +2 GD
Iran 2pts 0 GD 2GF
Belgium 2pts 0 GD 1 GF
NZ 1pt -2GD

Egypt v Iran
New Zealand v Belgium

As usual, 9 outcomes (I won't go into GD unless it's likely it affects who qualifies - at base level, I've applied 1-0 wins or 0-0 draws):
  • Egypt wins AND New Zealand win = Egypt 1st, NZ 2nd, Iran 3rd (and eliminated)
  • Egypt wins AND BEL/NZ Draw = Egypt 1st, Belgium 2nd, Iran 3rd (and eliminated)
  • Egypt wins AND Belgium win = Egypt 1st, Belgium 2nd, Iran 3rd (and eliminated)
  • EGY/IRN draw AND NZ win = Egypt 1st, NZ 2nd, Iran 3rd (and ahead of Scotland and Korea - could go through pending goal difference)
  • BOTH GAMES DRAW = Egypt 1st, Iran 2nd, Belgium 3rd (and ahead of Scotland and Korea - could go through pending goal difference)
  • EGY/IRN draw AND Belgium win = Egypt 1st, Belgium 2nd, Iran 3rd (and ahead of Scotland and Korea - could go through pending goal difference)
  • Iran wins AND NZ win = Iran 1st, Egypt 2nd, New Zealand 3rd (and ahead of Korea, Paraguay and Scotland and Group I - and through)
  • Iran wins AND NZ/BEL draw = Iran 1st, Egypt 2nd, Belgium 3rd (and ahead of Korea and Scotland - could go through pending goal difference)
  • Iran wins AND Belgium win = Iran 1st, Belgium 2nd, Egypt 3rd (and ahead of all third placed teams so far - pending goal difference)
 
They came out more defensively than us. The three chances on target in the first half (Irvine, Bos and Volpato) were all decent looks. If one of those goes in the match changes , more space in behind for Irankunda etc.

Popa was always going to look for the clean sheet first, scoring as a bonus.

Bos on the right side was pretty great. Was he MOM? It gives us a lot more flexibility. Second half was a very good experience for the side to go through, Integrating Herrington into the side was good.
 
Ok. That is the easiest we’ve ever qualified for the next phase. Never under pressure against a side that beat Brazil and Argentina in qualifying. Against us they were basically prepared to settle for a draw. That’s a huge rap for us.
When was the last time we dominated possession and had twice as many shots on goal playing a South American side?
First half was as good as I’ve seen us play against quality opposition.
We played well. It’s not surprising we struggled to score … we haven’t experienced having that much possession in final third against quality defence.
Beach’s disposal was generally top notch … supposedly a weakness?
I think we have a real shot against Belgium …
Beach
Bos, Circati, Souttar, Herrington, Italiano
Volpato, O’Neil, Metcalfe
Irankunda, Toure
 
Need better finishing. Most shots lacked pace. We really should be doing better in the box off the hrad. Like if we know they're going four men on Soutar then we need another plan B for the space that makes. Yengi being taller could be a target there that Nestor can't be. Aziz seemed a bit loose and wild at times. Would prefer maybe irankundu on the wing? Like how Bos second guessed the defenders by trying to do it solo. Mostly we were slower on the transition, but when looking to long pass for break were inaccurate. Hrustic was good but not as lively as volparto, but at that point Bos seemed to be going forward so maybe hrustic was sitting further back?
 
Everyone thinks Guus is a genius for snagging a draw with Croatia with a team who all played in the top five leagues and were at the peak of their careers, and had played together for years.
But apparently Popa is still useless for dominating Paraguay with a team of youngsters who’d not played together and with hardly a player in the top leagues.
Popa deserves to be bagged for the US game, but not this one. He got the job done and fairly easily.
 
ClockworkOrange said:
Ok. That is the easiest we’ve ever qualified for the next phase. Never under pressure against a side that beat Brazil and Argentina in qualifying. Against us they were basically prepared to settle for a draw. That’s a huge rap for us.
When was the last time we dominated possession and had twice as many shots on goal playing a South American side?
First half was as good as I’ve seen us play against quality opposition.
We played well. It’s not surprising we struggled to score … we haven’t experienced having that much possession in final third against quality defence.
Beach’s disposal was generally top notch … supposedly a weakness?
I think we have a real shot against Belgium …
Beach
Bos, Circati, Souttar, Herrington, Italiano
Volpato, O’Neil, Metcalfe
Irankunda, Toure
Click to expand...
Paraguay are normally a defensive side, both teams prefer to play on the break so it was interesting game in that regard both teams lacked in the final third so they know where they sit going into the round of 32 games.
 
Group Table (2006 onwards):

Australia 2022; 6pts, 3-4, GD -1
Australia 2006: 4pts, 5-5, GD 0
Australia 2026; 4 pts, 2-2, GD 0
Australia 2010; 4 pts, 3-6, GD -3
Australia 2018; 1 pt, 2-5, GD -3
Australia 2014: 0 pt, 3-9, GD -6

Total group results:

5 wins, 4 draws, 9 loses

Goals for: 18
Goals against: 31

Games where we scored more than 1, 5 out of 18 games:
* Japan 2006 (3)
* Croatia 2006 (2)
* Serbia 2010 (2)
* Netherlands 2014 (2)
* Turkiye 2026 (2)
 
Last edited:
melbcityguy said:
I know we qualified but it's a bit anooying million of people watched this and probably gonna think how boring the sport is
Click to expand...
That's their problem. Every sport has its dull moments. This game wasn't dull at all given the stakes and what we stood to lose was so much. My eyes were checking all routes when both teams went on the attack.
 
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