DOHA: Purpose hero Mitch Duke stated he had a sense he would rating after his header gave dogged Australia a 1-0 World Cup win over Tunisia on Saturday to revive their last-16 hopes.
The striker’s intelligent looped header in Qatar put Australia in entrance within the twenty third minute they usually desperately held on within the second half to silence Tunisia’s vociferous followers.
The Socceroos sit second in Group D with three factors from two video games, having been well-beaten 4-1 by holders France of their match opener.
They face Denmark — who play France later Saturday — of their last group sport and the knockout spherical is in sight.
“As a striker you must have that confidence and consider you can rating in each match,” stated Japan-based centre-forward Duke, 31, whose bodily presence was a nuisance all sport to Tunisia.
“I really was messaging a few of my household saying that I used to be going to attain at present.”
Duke made the letter “J” after scoring and stated that was for his watching son.
“The gesture was a letter J for the primary letter of his identify,” stated Duke.
“I haven’t seen it but however apparently he did it again to me from the stadium, which was a very particular second and I’m going to treasure it for the remainder of my life.”
– Underneath stress –
Australia’s finest earlier World Cup efficiency got here in 2006 once they reached the final 16, within the days of Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka.
Graham Arnold’s Australia don’t have gamers of that ilk however they’ve plenty of coronary heart and kicked off to deafening whistles in entrance of 42,000 at Al Janoub Stadium, the place their followers had been closely outnumbered.
Every Australia contact was met with whistles from the throbbing ranks of Tunisia’s bouncing, bellowing and flag-waving supporters. Australia had solely ever received two matches on the World Cup earlier than this and squeezed into this version by way of a playoff.
However they began the higher towards a Tunisia crew who held Denmark 0-0 of their opener and want to attain the knockout stage for the primary time. The match was being proven on primetime Saturday night time tv in Australia and viewers noticed their gritty aspect dominate the primary half.
Australia took the lead their possession deserved halfway by the primary half. Craig Goodwin, who scored the opener within the loss to France, crossed from the left and the ball ricocheted for Duke to look his header again over his personal shoulder and into the online.
Defender Harry Souttar of Stoke Metropolis then made a heroic last-ditch block from the damaging Youssef Msakni as half-time approached. Tunisia’s followers had their heads of their fingers in harm time when Msakni lastly escaped Souttar, solely to sidefoot large from shut vary.
Coach Jalel Kadri introduced off defender Mohamed Drager on the break and changed him with a midfielder, Ferjani Sassi, and a match that had simmered as much as that time threatened to boil over.
Australia had been enjoying on the break and had been inches away from a second late however Mathew Leckie couldn’t join on a low cross as he slid in entrance of purpose. Minutes later goalkeeper and skipper Mathew Ryan denied Msakni from shut vary and Australia nearly held on underneath intense stress.
– Tunisia practically out –
Tunisia’s World Cup marketing campaign is in serious trouble they usually face a frightening process of their last group sport after taking only one level from two matches.
They need to beat the defending champions France to have any hope of progressing.
“It was essential for each groups to win at present, we didn’t carry out as we needed to within the first half,” stated Kadri.
“They dominated the primary half. We modified techniques two or thrice within the second half and had 4 or 5 possibilities however couldn’t rating.
“They had been environment friendly in changing their likelihood, we weren’t.” As for France, Kadri pledged: “We’ll play our hearts out.”