Thank you for your company on an historic day for the Socceroos. Jack Snape was inside San Francisco Bay Area Stadium to witness it all. I will leave you with his match report and look forward to catching you back here soon.
It’s unconfirmed but I have Paraguay playing Germany in the round of 32 in Boston.
Australia move on to play the runner-up of Group G in Dallas in the round of 32.
That opponent could be any one of Egypt, Iran, Belgium, or New Zealand.
Kick-off in that one is – gulp – 4am AEST.
A beaming Tony Popovic has said a few words:
double quotation mark Unbelievable. Just so proud of everyone involved. It’s a wonderful young group of men. We’ll now go to Dallas and try and do something special.
Overall we deserved it. We were very good today.
And the Australian coach had a message to Socceroos supporters ahead of the round of 32.
double quotation mark Get up early please. Thanks for the support. Trust me it’s greatly appreciated and we can’t thank you enough.
For the time being Scotland are clinging on to a spot in the round of 32, but their hopes don’t look great now that they fallen behind both Sweden. Paraguay in the pecking order.
In the other match in Group D Turkey scored with almost the final kick in a battle of the B teams to ensure they don’t leave the World Cup empty handed. take some of the wind from the sails of the USA.
Popovic and his players are celebrating with gusto in front of the Australian fans in Levi’s Stadium. This is only the third time in the country’s history they have reached the knockout phase at a World Cup. the first at consecutive tournaments.
Paraguay did what they had to but for the third match in a row offered very little. Enciso is clearly a class apart, but so much so he can be man marked. double-teamed without fear of committing so many resources in one part of the field causing problems elsewhere.
0-0 comes as little surprise considering the context of the match, but the scoreline hides a willing contest.
It is a second clean sheet of the World Cup for Australia. the second demonstration of the tactical acumen of Tony Popovic. The Socceroos coach made six changes from the side that was outplayed by the USA and they all delivered.
Volpato looked excellent starting on the right flank, helped in no small part by linking up with Bos behind him. The usual left wingback swapped sides and was the game’s most dangerous player in the unfamiliar position.
Elsewhere, Herrington continued his rapid progression, becoming Australia’s youngest ever World Cup starter,. Circati deserves a name check for another consummate display in the back three, shutting down Paraguay’s dangerman Enciso whenever he wriggled free.
Australia are into the round of 32 in second place in Group D. Paraguay are almost certainly through in third.
90+4 mins: Bos is superb. running the ball out of defence, drawing the foul, taking any sting out of the game for Australia.
90+3 mins: Mauricio with a chance! but it’s straight at Beach from the edge of the box after the ball broke to him nicely. Now Yengi gets a half-chance at the other end! What happened to these sides shutting up shop!?
90+2 mins: More changes from Paraguay to milk the clock with Alonso replacing Gomez and Bobadilla giving Galarza a spell.
90+1 mins: Just five minutes of stoppage time.
90 mins: Almost from Bos! Australia keep the ball moving neatly on the right then the most dangerous attacker on the pitch jinks between two defenders. curls a left footed effort just wide of the far post.
89 mins: Now Australia are invited to pass the ball around with Paraguay standing off. That is until the ball is played into Bos’s feet. Galarza steams right through him without receiving a yellow card.
88 mins: Nobody dares make a mistake now.
87 mins: Enciso is still eager for more but he can’t force the issue from deep. the ball runs behind for a goal kick.
86 mins: Australia now defending in a clear 5-4-1 shape, happy with the 0-0.
85 mins: Yengi and Okon-Engstler come on for Australia, Irvine and Irankunda come off. Canale replaces Alderete for Paraguay.
84 mins: Now Bos shows similar attributes at the other end! Picking up a loose ball on the right. driving into the penalty area, cutting in onto his left boot, but running out of space to fashion a proper shot towards Gill.
83 mins: Enciso threatens twice! The first time is with some lovely skill cutting in from the right, feinting beyond Bos. shooting straight into Irvine who was brave in defence. The second is a snapshot wide after a fortunate ricochet.
82 mins: Paraguay slow things down again. Australia drop into a low block without any pressure on the ball carrier. The eventual hopeful ball into the box is headed clear.
81 mins: One thing that cannot be questioned is the commitment of both these sides. Nobody is giving an inch when the ball is in dispute.
79 mins: This final 15 minutes or so will be a grind. Both defences are dropping deep out of possession and the incentive for professional fouls increases. Bos skips over a couple of those challenges to keep Australia in motion down the right. establish attacking field position.
77 mins: Diego Gomez will not feature in the round of 32 after a professional foul on Bos on the halfway line. A surprisingly late first yellow card for Paraguay.
76 mins: A series of fouls breaks the flow of the game and does nothing to calm anyone’s nerves.
75 mins: At the other end Irankunda remains a willing runner but he is having to compete with two. three defenders every time he accepts possession.
74 mins: Souttar steps out of defence superbly to intercept but the ball breaks for Enciso. Paraguay can keep the pressure on. It’s not a committed attack though. eventually Galarza swings over a poor cross from deep on the left that goes harmlessly out of play.
73 mins: Enciso darts forward. prompts an attacking transition but when the ball is fed to Galarza on the left he checks back and recycles possession. Is that the moment we saw Paraguay putting the cue in the rack?
72 mins: No changes at the break but Alderete is clearly carrying a knock.
69 mins: With one quarter of the match to go, a reminder that both teams progress as things stand.
Discussion
Sign in to join the thread, react, and share images.