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

JS96 said:
Yeah I was worried the other results meant our fairy tale wouldn't happen as enough has happened for a day.
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Just read Soccer Mad’s NY Times article.

Looked up Turkey’s opponents in the few WCQs they played. Spain was tough, but Georgia and Bulgaria aren’t.

Teams like Japan, Saudi and the new look Eredivisie based Indonesia, were tough opponents for Aus in WCQs.

There is a bit of global ignorance about world football.
 
Cunningstunt said:
One win is just a good start, still need to progress. But fuck it I'm calling 2034, when these guys are in their prime, we're winning the whole fucking thing.
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2034 and 2035 will be the glory days of Australian football with both the Socceroos and Matildas winning the World Cup in back-to-back years.
 
Decentric said:
Just read Soccer Mad’s NY Times article.

Looked up Turkey’s opponents in the few WCQs they played. Spain was tough, but Georgia and Bulgaria aren’t.

Teams like Japan, Saudi and the new look Eredivisie based Indonesia, were tough opponents for Aus in WCQs.
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I think I am one of the few who likes the expanded wc. But 8 matches down and there is 1 win to a side from Europe and south America combined. They probably mis allocated spots to these weaker confederations.
 
Cunningstunt said:
Random thoughts after the match.
  • This was probably the best we have executed Popa ball ever. Defensively was probably a good as the Japan match, but going forward felt much more dangerous.
  • This type of win is what captures the normies. But making a run would do it even more.
  • Even with a week off I would expect some squad rotation for next match.
  • Fan favourite whipping boys O'Neill, Okon and Metcalfe were pretty huge.
  • Irankunda played well inverting on the left. Big improvement in his game. Also opens up more options to play Volpato.
  • Very young starting side. I want to spend a bit of time latter with ai to compare average ages of other sides in the comp and previous aus sides.
  • A lot of talent still to come through that was close this time around.
  • One win is just a good start, still need to progress. But fuck it I'm calling 2034, when these guys are in their prime, we're winning the whole fucking thing.
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Good points!

My stats collected assiduously compiled over time, have Metcalfe, Okon Jr and O’Nell, all popular G and G scapegoats, similar to G and G poster boys Circati, Toure, Bos and Iran’s stats, over an extended period of time.
 
Cunningstunt said:
I think I am one of the few who likes the expanded wc. But 8 matches down and there is 1 win to a side from Europe and south America combined. They probably mis allocated spots to these weaker confederations.
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The OFC should have had 2 spots to be fair. The game needs to grow in the pacific and this World Cup looks more like a euro cup.
 
Cunningstunt said:
I think I am one of the few who likes the expanded wc. But 8 matches down and there is 1 win to a side from Europe and south America combined. They probably mis allocated spots to these weaker confederations.
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There is enough quantity of quality to have extra teams in to the WC.

UEFA was very tough in the past to qualify.
 
Just had a glance. Turkey didn't qualify against Spain, Netherlands, Iceland, Netherlands again and someone else. They came 4th for 2018 with Hungary ahead of them.
 
Cunningstunt said:
I think I am one of the few who likes the expanded wc. But 8 matches down and there is 1 win to a side from Europe and south America combined. They probably mis allocated spots to these weaker confederations.
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UEFA so far losing. Haiti did well by some accounts. I'll have to check the Scotland game more.
 
Bos not really near his level today. Some good moments. A few moments in transition where picked the wrong options.

I actually wanted Metcalfe to pass to boss before he shot. Bit like Emerton should've passed to Bresciano before crossing for Kewell in 06. Don't listen to me.
 
Loved the result and how it panned out - and I agree we didn't have a poor player for most of the game. Fantastic effort and game by the team.

Italiano did a better job than our other options and I really liked what he brought. Even though he could not fully contain that amazing player on him he did not get walked over once and allowed our other players inside time to shut off secondary attacks and crosses. Loved his game today.

The defensive group stood up and kept it up all game. It was only when we dropped off our best attacking weapons that Turkey felt they could press full team on us. Credit to the structure, effort and skill of our boys and the organisation.

But I feel obliged to point out a couple of things like a true dog in the manger.

As soon as we lost Irankunda up front Turkey started to build the pressure that would have us crack in most games. Beach kept us in the game time and again - against better shot placement no keeper could keep a clean sheet with the opportunities to build that we do offer our opponents every game.

Popaball is a 40% success rate system at best and relies on us being bloody lucky and bloody good at the same time to get over the disadvantage of letting teams come at us in the first half particularly. We got the goal we needed to stop them scoring first and put them under pressure. Another day and they score first and we are doomed again to the hope of a draw.

US will come at us faster and better. We can hope to buggery that we get lucky and keep them out but it still comes down to Popaball being a negative return system. It works when our opponents fail to score but not when we they score first and particularly not when they score early against us. The US team was fast, skillful, organised and slick in their first game. We are going to need help from the football gods to take points out of our next game - but that is the same for anyone playing the US in our group.

Still on a high from today's fantastic win. Not losing my fear of Popaball though.

Bloody well done lads. You earned us that win.
 
socceroosmad said:
I love looking at international reactions. Here's The Athletic (in NY Times):
"One could argue Qatar nicking a point from Switzerland in today’s first match was the biggest shock of the World Cup so far, at that point — but that tag probably belongs to Australia’s victory against Turkey in Vancouver now.

The standard of the nations faced in qualifying by the Socceroos is significantly lower than Turkey’s European opponents.

And Turkey were considered dark horses here, as Phil Hay mentioned.

Maybe Australia are the dark horses now?"
Link here - sections on Irankunda, strategy etc
www.nytimes.com

Australia stun Turkey in World Cup 2026 group match after Irankunda, Metcalfe goals: Live updates, reaction

Australia joins the USA on three points at the top of Group D.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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And here's L'Equipe world respected French sports journal (who btw named our GA as best coach at 2022 WC):

"The player: Nestory Irankunda tormented them
He is well on his way to becoming one of the revelations of this World Cup. Nestory Irankunda, the 20-year-old Watford winger, gave the Turkish defense a torrid time. Fast, agile, and possessing perfect ball control, he is one of the key players for this Australian side, eager for counter-attacks. He scored the first goal, finishing off the move after nutmegging Merih Demiral (27th minute). He came close to a second goal after another brilliant piece of skill (45th minute), representing a constant threat. Even though he only had an hour of playing time, he certainly makes you want to see more of him."
 
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