Santa Clara (California) [US], June 26 (ANI): Australia head coach Tony Popovic hailed his side's qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 as a "wonderful achievement" after the Socceroos played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Paraguay in their final Group D fixture in Santa Clara, California.
The draw was enough to secure Australia's second place in Group D after earlier results saw them defeat Turkey 2-0 and lose 2-0 to the United States. It marks Australia's third appearance in the World Cup knockout stage and their second successive qualification for the Round of 32.
"One wonderful achievement, from the backing of the FA all the way through to the staff, the players, the fans. It's a special day," said Popovic after the match, according to Reuters.
Australia entered the contest needing only a draw to progress, but looked the more enterprising side throughout the evening. The Socceroos dominated possession and fashioned the better opportunities, while Paraguay largely adopted a defensive approach in a physical and closely contested encounter.
Jordan Bos, Aiden O'Neill and Cristian Volpato combined effectively down the right flank during the opening stages to trouble the Paraguayan defence. O'Neill came closest to opening the scoring early on with a powerful strike that forced goalkeeper Orlando Gill into a fine save, while Nestory Irankunda remained a constant attacking threat despite limited clear-cut chances.
Paraguay improved briefly after the interval, following tactical adjustments, but struggled to create meaningful openings as Australia's disciplined defence kept them at bay. Bos nearly snatched a late winner after cutting inside from the right, only to see his effort drift narrowly wide of the far post.
Despite sustained Australian pressure, neither side managed to find the breakthrough, with the match ending goalless. O'Neill's influential display earned him the Player of the Match award.
Popovic dismissed suggestions that his six changes to the starting XI reflected a cautious approach.
"You can have opinions on how the game was played, or what we both thought we needed, but we at no stage felt that we were playing for a draw. I thought we controlled the game quite well, and were in control, and had the better opportunities," said Popovic, as per Reuters.
The Australian coach also refused to single out individuals over his selection decisions.
"No one is entitled to the shirt," Popovic said, adding that every member of the squad had an important role to play.
Australia will now travel to Dallas for their Round of 32 clash on July 3, where they will face the runners-up from Group G. Their opponents could be Egypt, Belgium, Iran or New Zealand, depending on the outcome of the final group-stage matches.
Paraguay, meanwhile, must wait to discover whether it can advance as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams. (ANI)
