14.06.2026 12:02
Australia beat Turkey 2-0 in the first match of Group D of the 2026 World Cup. Coach Tony Popovic said the victory was not a shock and that they believe in the quality of the team.
Australia's Head Coach Tony Popovic said that the victory against Turkey might seem like a shock to many, but this result is normal for them.
In the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D, Australia defeated Turkey 2-0 at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada. Speaking at the press conference held after the match, Australia's Head Coach Tony Popovic stated, "This result may be a shock to many, but it is not a shock for us and our players. We work together every day; I know how talented the young players are. We have a team built to perform well, and of course, you can never be certain of the outcome, but this result satisfies us."
"WE COULD HAVE SCORED MORE GOALS"
Emphasizing that they worked hard to win such a match, Popovic said, "We could have scored more goals, perhaps, but the result gives us great confidence. The entire squad stood very resilient and durable in defense, almost putting their bodies on the line. That is what is expected to win a World Cup match. We have a young goalkeeper, and he was very successful; I must mention that as well. They took quality free kicks, but our goalkeeper was very good."
Tony Popovic also noted that Turkey has very talented players, stating, "We saw on the field everything we knew about the Turkish team; they have very skilled footballers, and they posed a threat throughout the match. We needed to defend well against them, but we also saw that we felt we could press them in certain areas, and we were successful in that."
"WE FELT THEIR SUPPORT"
The experienced coach added that they felt the support of all Australia behind them, saying, "There may have been a change in perception because we beat Turkey, but we have a lot of work to do. We must prepare for the match against the USA. It was a unique evening for Australians; I hope we made them happy. The whole country was behind us; we felt their support. We are very happy with the support given. Now we must look ahead; we will travel a lot, and we need to recover and start preparing."