Australia knocks down Türkiye against

The Australian team beat Turkey this Sunday (2-0) in what could be the big surprise in Group D of this World Cup, with an ‘Aussie’ victory based on two well-defined counterattacks that knocked out the Turks who, superior on paper and also on the green in terms of possession and chances, failed to knock down the Australian wall at BC Place in Vancouver (Canada).

In soccer, goals count, not names and surnames or approaches to the rival area. And Australia, who knew how to come out very well on the counterattack, with judgment and definition, had several counterattacks and took advantage of two of them to knock down the Turkey of Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoglu and Orkun Kökçü. Now, the Turks make life difficult for themselves in a Group led by the United States, which defeated Paraguay, and by Popovic’s Australia.

The triumph also had a certain historical value for the oceanicists. Australia had lost five of its six previous World Cup debuts and had only started with victory in Germany 2006, precisely in that team that now coach Tony Popovic was a part of. Twenty years later, the Socceroos started this World Cup changing a dynamic that seemed established.

Turkey also arrived with an outstanding debt with its World Cup debuts since the Ottomans had lost in their two previous debuts, against West Germany in 1954 and against Brazil in 2002, and this time they were not able to escape that bad start either. They also did it leaving an uncomfortable feeling: more ball, more apparent talent and several clear chances, with up to eight shots on goal, but too little edge for a team that aspires to be a protagonist again 24 years after its historic third place.

The match took a while to get going and stretch, as if it were being played at 6:00 Spanish time, and it even required a hydration break to change gears. Until then, the territorial domain was Turkish but without depth or opportunities. And right after came the decisive part of the game. Arda Güler first warned with what was surely Turkey’s best elaborate action in the entire first half, receiving inside the area and forcing Patrick Beach – a great surprise in the eleven ahead of captain Mathew Ryan – to intervene safely.

But that occasion ended up being the beginning of the punishment. Australia served quickly, found space behind them and Burgess launched Nestory Irankunda on the run. The Watford winger controlled inside to suddenly eliminate Demiral and several Turkish assists and finished with enormous quality against Ugurcan Çakir. A beautiful goal that also made the Tanzanian-born attacker Australia’s youngest scorer in a World Cup.

Türkiye tried to react immediately and probably had its best minutes of the match. Bardakci launched a missile from a distance that forced Beach to touch just enough to deflect it to the post and Arda Güler once again assumed responsibility from a distance, although without precision. The Madrid player asked for the ball, offered himself constantly and even monopolized set-piece actions in front of Çalhanoglu, but he never managed to break a very organized and comfortable Australian defense defending in a low block. And it went from more to less.

Australia didn’t go into full lockdown either. Each recovery had intention and before the break Irankunda was close to a double after another quick transition, although his too-focused shot allowed Çakir to intervene. Already in the second half, Popovic’s men maintained the same plan: resist, close lines and leave when the scenario allowed it. Touré forgave a promising counterattack and Souttar, imperial in both areas, touched the goal in a corner with a header that required feline reflexes from the Turkish goalkeeper.

Montella moved pieces looking for more depth and Türkiye insisted from the outside, from the front and also through individual actions. Beach appeared again after a direct foul by Güler, Zeki Çelik found one of the best avenues of attack with a raid that ended in the side net and Kerem Aktürkoglu wasted the clearest chance of the game for his team with a point-blank volley that the Australian goalkeeper caught in two halves.

However, when the Turks pushed harder the sentence came. After another Ottoman offensive action and a new long-range shot very deflected by Güler, Australia escaped once again. Connor Metcalfe drove with meters ahead, raised his head and as soon as he glimpsed the rival goal he unleashed a far right hand, between three rivals, impossible for Çakir who made it 2-0. Second blow identical to the first: recovery, space and punishment.

The final stretch finished defining the match. Souttar, gigantic up top, cleared crosses and shots with authority, Popovic managed changes to refresh the defensive effort and Beach closed an outstanding performance in his World Cup debut with another save from a direct free kick from Çalhanoglu. Australia, hardly suffering emotionally despite the rival siege, dealt the first big blow in Group D and leaves the future duel between Türkiye and Paraguay red hot.

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: AUSTRALIA, 2 – Türkiye, 0 (1-0, at halftime).

–TEAMS.

AUSTRALIA: Beach; Italian (Geria, min.74), Circati, Souttar, Burgess, Bos (Behich, min.83); Metcalfe, Oneill, Okon-Engstler (Irvine, min.83); Irankunda (Velupillay, min.61) and Touré (Yengi, min.74).

TURQUÍA: Çakir; Çelik (Muldur, min.80), Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu; Yüksek (Ozcan, min.80), Çalhanoglu; Arda Güler, Kökçü (Akgün, min.62), Yilmaz (Yildiz, min.45); y Aktürkoglu (Rose, min.85).

–GOALS.

1-0. Min.27: Irankunda.

2-0. Min.75, Metcalfe.

–REFEREE: Jesús Valenzuela Sáez (VEN). He reprimanded Yunus Akgün in Türkiye.

–STADIUM: BC Place, Vancouver (Canada).