World Cup 2026: Bold decisions by Australia's coach yield sweet results

According to a VNA correspondent in Australia, before the match against Turkey, coach Popovic surprised many by dropping two experienced pillars from the starting lineup: captain Mat Ryan and vice-captain Jackson Irvine. Instead, he gave a starting spot to 22-year-old goalkeeper Patrick Beach and placed young midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler in central midfield.

Those seemingly risky decisions yielded unexpected results. Before Australia opened the scoring, Patrick Beach made a brilliant save against a dangerous shot from Turkey star Arda Güler. From that play, the ball was quickly transferred via Paul Okon-Engstler to Nestory Irankunda. The young striker, currently playing for Watford, sprinted powerfully into the box and finished coolly to give the Socceroos the lead.

Minutes later, Beach became the hero again with a spectacular save, deflecting the ball onto the post after a tricky shot from the opponent. This is considered one of the most impressive saves since the start of the 2026 World Cup.

Although Turkey held 78% possession and applied constant pressure, Australia's defense stood firm thanks to the outstanding performance of the young goalkeeper. In his first World Cup match, Beach made a total of 8 saves, repeatedly denying clear scoring chances. Meanwhile, Paul Okon-Engstler also proved that coach Popovic's decision to use him was entirely correct. The young midfielder not only contributed to the build-up for the opening goal but also worked tirelessly in the midfield, effectively breaking up play and combining well with Aiden O'Neill to limit the creativity of Turkey's midfielders.

The performances of Beach and Okon-Engstler became even more significant given the pre-tournament doubts about coach Popovic's personnel choices. However, after 90 minutes on the pitch, those doubts have largely been erased.

Australia's victory also sparked a notable war of words after the match. Turkey midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu argued that his team was the dominant side and that the loss was primarily due to individual errors. Çalhanoğlu said: 'We dominated today. Australia just sat deep and defended. They scored two goals from long balls after our mistakes. We had 78% possession, but we weren't accurate enough at the decisive moments.'

However, Australia's opening goalscorer Nestory Irankunda quickly fired back. The young striker said that the confident pre-match statements from the Turkish side served as motivation for the Socceroos to play with more determination. Irankunda emphasized: 'They talked a lot before the match, but in the end they couldn't prove it on the pitch. In football, what matters is the result and what you show in the 90 minutes.'

Before the World Cup began, Australia was not highly rated and was even placed outside the group of potential surprise teams by many experts in the US. However, the win over Turkey has forced pundits to reassess the strength of the Oceanian representative.

After an impressive start, Australia is now turning its attention to the match against host nation USA on June 20. With surprising yet effective personnel decisions already proven, coach Popovic is expected to continue making bold moves in the Socceroos' quest for a knockout stage berth.