Australia efficiently beat Tunisia to revive their World Cup hopes
Australia gained solely their third World Cup match of their historical past with a 1-0 victory over Tunisia on Saturday to revive their last-16 hopes.
World Cup calendar © FMM Graphics Studio Striker Mitch Duke scored the one objective of a good sport with a intelligent first-half header after which Australia held on tight to silence the boisterous crowd in Tunisia.
Australia are second in Group D with three factors from two matches, having been soundly overwhelmed by reigning champions France 4-1 within the opening match of the match.
Australia face Denmark – who play France in a while Saturday – of their remaining group and knockout spherical match on sight.
Their greatest World Cup efficiency got here in 2006 when in addition they reached the final 16, within the days of Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka.
Graham Arnold’s Australia do not have gamers like that, however they did have quite a lot of coronary heart they usually started to whistle deafeningly in entrance of 42,000 on the South Stadium, their followers vastly outnumbering them.
Each Australian contact was met with whistles from the ranks of Tunisia’s recalcitrant, raucous, flag-waving supporters.
Australia had gained simply two matches on the World Cup earlier than that and joined this version by means of a play-off.
However they began higher towards Tunisia, who confronted Denmark 0-0 within the opening match and want to attain the knockout stage for the primary time.
The match was proven on Australian tv on Saturday evening in prime time and viewers watched their gritty group dominate the primary quarter-hour, with out mustering a shot.
Tunisia obtained the primary sniff of the objective within the nineteenth minute, however captain Youssef Msakni was below stress, after which defender Mohamed Drager set off.
Within the twenty third minute, Australia took the lead in possession.
Craig Goodwin, who scored the primary objective within the loss towards France, crossed in from the left and the ball rebounded for Duke to look a header over his shoulder and into the online.
The 31-year-old Japanese striker exchanged indignant phrases with the Tunisian bench when he fell over the half-hour mark.
The clashes ended with a handshake of substitute Hannibal Mejbri, the younger Manchester United participant.
One other English resident, Stoke Metropolis defender Harry Souttar, made one final heroic transfer from the damaging Msakni as half-time approached.
The Tunisian crowd’s heads had been of their arms in harm time when Msakni lastly made his escape from Souttar, solely going large from shut vary.
Coach Jalil Kadri introduced Draeger on the break and changed him with midfielder Ferjani Sassi, and the match that had been energetic as much as that time threatened to worsen.
Australia had been taking part in the break and had been inside inches of a second however Matthew Leckie was unable to attach on a low cross as he slid in entrance of objective.
Minutes later Msakni was denied by goalkeeper and captain Matthew Ryan from shut vary, and Australia had been hard-pressed to depart Tunisia’s World Cup marketing campaign in serious trouble.
(AFP)
