Australia Advances to Round of 32 After Tense Draw
Australia secured a place in the round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup following a 0-0 draw with Paraguay on June 26 in Santa Clara. The result came just days after a 2-0 friendly loss to the United States, a match that drew sharp public criticism from former players regarding the starting lineup.
Match Against the United States
"The game was over before it even started."
Australia fell 2-0 to the United States in a friendly. Former Socceroos Mark Bosnich and Robbie Slater publicly criticized head coach Tony Popovic's decision to bench Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe—both of whom had scored in Australia's previous 2-0 win over Turkey.
- Bosnich said on Stan Sport's World Cup Daily: "You don't leave out your two goal-scorers from one of your greatest victories of all time."
- Slater echoed the sentiment: "I just don't get why we left out two goal-scorers out of the starting XI."
Bosnich described the first-half performance as "like lambs to the slaughter," acknowledging that Popovic may have been concerned about USA fullbacks Antonee Robinson and Alex Freeman. Australia's performance improved after Irankunda and Metcalfe entered in the second half, but by then the USA had already established a 2-0 lead. Bosnich noted that the U.S. did not exert full effort after the break.
Match Against Paraguay and Group Stage Outcome
Australia secured qualification for the round of 32 with a gritty 0-0 draw against Paraguay. Defender Jordan Bos played a key role, stepping in after the late withdrawal of Jacob Italiano.
"We can still qualify. We've still got a great chance. We're going to pick ourselves up."
However, concerns remain about the team's attacking options. Former Socceroos Scott McDonald and Robbie Slater questioned coach Popovic's trust in striker Mo Toure, who remained on the bench. Nestory Irankunda, typically a winger, was deployed as a forward but struggled against Paraguay's physical defense. McDonald stated that Irankunda needs to improve his hold-up play and positioning to be effective in that role.
Next Match
Australia will learn their round of 32 opponent on Saturday. The match is scheduled for July 4 in Dallas.
Former Socceroo Mark Bosnich remained optimistic: "We can still qualify. We've still got a great chance. We're going to pick ourselves up."