Australia's 0-0 draw against Paraguay in Santa Clara was enough to book the Socceroos a place in the World Cup knockout phase for the third time in their history. The result secured second place in Group D for Tony Popovic's side, sending thousands of Australian fans into delirium.
Match Overview
A much-changed Australia side controlled large parts of the match, but with both teams knowing a draw would suffice for qualification, long stretches lacked impetus. The match was far from a classic, but the Socceroos will not mind as they achieved a historic milestone.
Best for the Socceroos were Jordy Bos, playing on the right side of defence, and Lucas Herrington, the young defender on his World Cup debut who was assured for the duration. The whole team delivered on a cool night in Santa Clara to leave 12,000 or more fans in yellow celebrating.
Key Performances
Lucas Herrington, at 18, became the youngest Socceroo to start at a World Cup, eclipsing the record set by Nestory Irankunda. He started confidently, distributing the ball calmly under pressure and asserting his physicality within minutes. “He dominated on his World Cup debut,” according to match reports.
Jordy Bos, switched to the right flank, created the best chance of the first half with a shot from 20 metres that was saved by Paraguay keeper Orlando Gil. Cristian Volpato also impressed, combining with Bos down the right, though at times lacked width.
Team Changes
Popovic made six changes to the starting XI, including Nestory Irankunda starting centrally, Cristian Volpato and Connor Metcalfe. Injured Jacob Italiano was replaced by Aziz Behich, and Jackson Irvine came into midfield. Herrington replaced Cam Burgess in defence.
Paraguay sat back and allowed Australia to play, handing the Socceroos the bulk of possession. Despite not scoring, Australia found success down the right with the new combination of Bos and Volpato.
Second Half Scares
The second half started with several scares for Australia. Jackson Irvine was booked early for a challenge on Julio Enciso, and Andrés Cubas hit a powerful long shot that goalkeeper Joe Beach was pleased to save. A back-pass mix-up between Beach and Behich was resolved by the goalkeeper's toe.
With both teams content with a point, the final passages were forgettable. Bos sent a late shot wide, and Beach gathered an injury-time strike. The match ended 0-0, securing Australia's place in the last 32.
What's Next
The Socceroos will rest for a week before their last-32 match in Dallas, eight days away. Their opponent will be the second-placed team from Group G, which concludes on Friday. Belgium are well-placed to finish second in that group, needing only to beat New Zealand.
Popovic's reputation as a gambler grew with the six changes, but the result justified his decisions. The team will remain in Oakland until Wednesday before flying to Texas.
