Australia Secure Group D Second as Paraguay Sweat It Out
Tony Popovic’s six changes and a youthful starting XI helped Australia secure a second-place finish in Group D.
- Australia booked their place in the World Cup's round of 32 on Thursday with a 0-0 draw against Paraguay, marking the third time in history the Socceroos have progressed to this stage.
- Following criticism of a 2-0 loss to the United States, head coach Tony Popovic made six changes to the starting lineup, shifting Jordy Bos to right wing-back to cover for injured Jacob Italiano.
- Teenage central defender Lucas Herrington became the youngest Socceroo to start at a World Cup, earning praise for his composure; veteran Milos Degenek noted he "played like it was his fourth World Cup."
- Australia's second-place finish in Group D eliminates the need to wait on other results, positioning the team to face the Group G runner-up in Dallas on Saturday July 4.
- Minister Anthony Albanese congratulated the squad on securing qualification, while the team receives eight days to recover and prepare before their knockout-stage challenge.
36 Articles
36 Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
Anatomy of a deadly right flank: The Bos-Volpato pairing that almost brought Socceroos a winner
The exciting duo dovetailed brilliantly, rotating with sharpness throughout the opening 45 minutes, overlapping and overloading the right flank to repeatedly bamboozle Paraguay’s defence.
Stay tuned for all the highlights from the FIFA World Cup Group D match between Paraguay and Australia.
After achieving one of the most epic victories of the group stage against Turkey, Paraguay didn't falter against Australia. Neither side managed to score, and the shared points proved a fair result, as both secured their qualification for the knockout stage with four points. Read more
By preserving Group D's second place in the night from Thursday to Friday after his draw against Paraguay (0-0), Australia validated its place in the 16th final of the World Championship.
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