WORLD CUP LIVE: Australia shocks overconfident Turkey 2-0

Article content

10:56 p.m.: Full time

Article content

It’s all over at B.C. Place, with the Socceroos pulling off a massive win and putting Group D on notice.

Article content

Article content

The team that all their opponents expected to finish last in their group took out Turkey 2-0 on goals from Connor Metcalfe and Nestory Irankunda. Turkey said they expected to “dominate” Saturday’s game, and they did dominate possession, but the Socceroos were defensively sublime with a five-man backline and KO’d Turkey on the counters.

Australia coach Tony Popovic rolled the dice with some late-day roster decisions, dropping captain Mathew Ryan — 100 caps in experience — in favour of youngster Patrick Beach. Beach faced 27 shots, stopping all six that came through on target — including some acrobatic saves late in the game — to earn the shutout.

Australia takes on the USA — 4-1 winners over Paraguay earlier this weekend — next Friday.

For Turkey, their first appearance at the World Cup since 2002 has started painfully. They look to get back on track against Paraguay, also next Friday.

It was the first competitive start for Beach, who got some words of wisdom from Ryan and second-stringer Paul Izzo before the game.

Article content

“It was amazing. This is a dream come true,” said Beach. “For many boys in this squad tonight, and in the past, this is all you think about as a kid. This is a vehicle to play for your country on the world stage, and to get a result in our first game, and against a really good opposition, it’s just one of the best nights ever.

“Matty and Paulie both have been really, really great for me, you know, great goalkeepers, great guys. They’ve given me a lot of support, and yeah, they had some chats with me before the game, and just very calm and relaxed, and just said, “Enjoy it out there, you know, have fun, luck, and go do what you do, everyone knows what you can do. So, go do what you do, and play your game.’”

On the talk from Turkey about dominating leading up to the game: 

“(The result) speaks for itself. We’re a resilient team, we don’t really like to do much talking. We just get out there and put our best foot forward and stick together as a whole group — players and staff together — and we know what our performances are, and the levels that we can get to.

“No, I’ve got nothing to say back to them. They’re a great opposition, they got great players, and like I said, we don’t worry about that stuff.

Article content

Article content

“We know we’re the underdogs and in the minds of a lot of other people and a lot of teams, and we’re happy with that. We go and let our performance do the talking, and I think that’s the best way to talk and show everyone what Australia is about.”

On Irankunda’s goal, which came on the counter-attack after Beach made a big save: 

“(It was) just absolutely scenes, wasn’t it? Seeing the whole crowd jump up in yellow and green, and everyone just went crazy, but I went crazy as well, but the crowd behind me was quite insane. So it was, yeah, unbelievable moment.”

On pre-game nerves: 

“You get out there and you’re in front of 50,000 people, and how many around the world? So there’s never, but at the end of the day, you just keep the simple. It’s a game of football and two teams just going at it.”

— JJ Adams

10:33 p.m.

It’s 2-0 to the Socceroos!

75th minute. Against the run of play once again, Connor Metcalfe races down the right flank, cuts across goal, takes a couple unchallenged touches and fires a blast from 22 yards out that knifes into the corner of the net beyond the reach of keeper Uğurcan Çakır.

Article content

The Aussies are in full throat in the stadium, with a good portion of them shirtless, too. Official attendance: 52,497 — a sell-out.

— JJ Adams

10:21 p.m.

Irankunda, Australia’s goal-scorer, is subbed off for Nishan Vellupillay, in the 60th minute. He brings speed and tenacity as the Aussies try to maintain their lead. They’ve dropped into a 5-4-1 low block as Turkey presses.

Turkey’s Merih Demiral is helpfully stretching out Mohamed Touré’s hamstring at midfield, even as his team is going the other way looking for the equalizer.

10:16 p.m.

55th minute: Australia answers with a sustained bout of their own pressure after a corner, but can’t connect on any of their crosses.
Then Jordon Bos puts Kerem Akturkoglu on the turf with a brilliant shake and bake to advance the ball in midfield, drawing cheers — and jeers from the crowd.

Guler gets a free kick from 25 yards out in a central area, but Beach dives low to his right to make the save and preserve the lead.

— JJ Adams

10:12 p.m.

The second half starts the way the first half ended. Australia sitting in a low block, under intense Turkish pressure, from which they squirt out on fast, dangerous counters.

Article content

But the Turks are buzzing, pushing hard for the equalizer, and the stadium is getting louder by the minute.

Three corners inside the first five minutes for Turkey.

— JJ Adams

At halftime, the concourses were busy as sweaty and thirsty fans found both drink and the bathroom. Of course the Turks all looked stressed, while the Aussies were standing a little taller.

Turkish fan Gokhan admitted to nerves, but also quipped: “But I’m not stressed, I know final score: it will be 2-1.”

He lived in Vancouver 20 years ago and was happy to be back at a stadium he knew well. He was impressed with the renovations, but also: “it looks great of course…because it’s full.”

Kumar normally cheers for Fiji when the rugby sevens come to town, but he was more than happy to cheer for the Aussies.

“This is very fun.” And you’re feeling a little taller? “Oh yes,” he replied, flashing a big grin.

— Patrick Johnston

9:49 p.m.

In the fourth minute of first half added time, Alessandro Circatti saved Australia’s bacon. The defender slid slow to block a shot inside the area that appeared destined for goal.

At the half, two numbers stand out to me: Turkey 59 – Australia 33 in possession, but the xG is .55 for Australia to .29 for Turkey.

Article content

Turkey is getting into the final third but have been unable to find the final penetrating pass. Most of their shots have come from outside the box, as the Socceroos’ back five has been near-impenetrable.

9:40 p.m.

41st minute. Gotta say, the Aussies have been playing a style that was once favoured by your Vancouver Whitecaps — when Carl Robinson was coach. ‘RobboBall,’ as we liked to call it, was all about keeping it tight in the back and looking to hit fast counterattacks when you took possession of the ball.

Anyway, the Turks are finding moments and they did hit the post, but the Aussies are holding firm as we hit the final minutes of the half.

— Patrick Johnston 

9:29 p.m.: GOAL AUSTRALIA!

In the 26th minute, Turkish wunderkind Arda Guler has the first big chance of the game, but Beach is equal to the task.
Play springs the other way, with Nestory Irankunda turning two Turkish defenders inside out on the break, and sliding a shot past Ugurcan Cakir for the game’s opening goal — and on their first shot of the game, no less.

Article content

Irankunda, 20, is Australia’s youngest ever goalscorer.

Turkey have dominated possession, yes, but not the game. The Aussies have looked dangerous on counters all night.

The Turks aren’t done though, with Abdulkerim Bardakci ringing one off the post.

 — JJ Adams

9:15 p.m.

— Patrick Johnston

9:06 p.m

It’s the seventh minute in, and a bright start from both teams. Australia goalkeeper Patrick Beach, a late addition to the starting XI, began the game without a water bottle behind his goal, and it took several minutes of gesticulating before the Aussie bench clued in.

— JJ Adams

The fan battle so far has been heavily in favour of the Turks: for starters turns out they have their own U-S-A, which is, shockingly, “turk-iy-e.”

Article content

They’re dominating the noise, even though the Aussies have a whole corner of yellow running from pitchside all the way up to the top of upper bowl.

— Patrick Johnston

8:51 p.m.

If it’s not a sellout, it’s damn closes. A few small patches of empty seats, but we’re still nine minutes from kickoff, and there are still scads of fans on the concourse, trying to get their last $15 beer before the game starts.

— JJ Adams

8:35 p.m.

The in-stadium hype crew is getting fans from each country to make noise on cue. Turkey is ear-splittingly loud: No contest. It hit 149 decibels. There are even some loud boos for the Aussies. But the Socceroos faithful are fighting back with a joyful rendition of Men at Work’s Down Under. Feel free to sing along.

As I wrote Friday, Turkey claims they will “dominate” tonight’s game. They’re definitely winning the fan battle.

— JJ Adams

8:30 p.m. — T-minus 30 minutes to kickoff

Here’s your starting XI for Australia and Turkey.

The Knicks just won the NBA Championship, but according to Gianni Infantino, no one cares.

— JJ Adams

7:30 p.m. PT

It’s T-minus 90 minutes to kickoff at B.C. Place, and it’s already sweltering inside, even with sparse crowds in the stands.

Article content

As former Vancouver sports editor Jonathan McDonald once said about B.C. Place during a B.C. Lions game, it’s “hotter than the hinges to the gates of hell.” But that’s probably because the media box is in the nosebleeds, where all the heat gets trapped.

On the field, the teams have arrived and are walking the pitch. Australia, looking sharp in slate suits, strolled unbothered onto the pitch, but the moment Turkey arrived through the tunnel, cheers erupted from the bleachers. What was expected to be a keenly Australian-heavy crowd isn’t quite as one-sided as predicted. The Turkish contingent marched hundreds strong to the game, singing out:

Haydi Türkiye!
Bu sevda bitmez!
Vur, vur, inlesin,
Tüm dünya dinlesin!
Şampiyon Türkiye!

Article content

Article content

The Aussies weren’t exactly quiet, though, shutting down the Granville Street pedestrian zone. The inestimable Sarah Grochowski hit the downtown core for the Vancouver Sun and Province Saturday and spoke to some fans on scene.

Check it out here: Energy reaches a fever pitch downtown Vancouver ahead of first World Cup match at B.C. Place

Article content

And this bit of fan banter almost needs a poll …

Article content

 — JJ Adams

Read more coverage of FIFA in Vancouver:

• Got World Cup tickets? Better read this (surprising) list of rules for B.C. Place entry
• Trying to avoid FIFA madness? Here are all the match day traffic closures and detours
• FIFA 2026: Here’s a list of World Cup events and activities in Metro Vancouver
• ‘This will be different for locals’: TransLink announces World Cup 2026 transit plans
• These routes were made for walking: Organizers promote pedestrian access to World Cup games

LIVE BLOG

Saturday, June 13: Australia versus Turkey

9 p.m.: First FIFA match hosted in Vancouver kicks off between Australia and Turkey

The city’s first FIFA match is set to kick off at 9 p.m. between Australia and Turkey.

5 p.m.: The Last Mile fan zone opens to public

The Last Mile, a pedestrian-only corridor and fan zone for both ticket holders and non-ticket holders, opens four hours before kick off.

Doors to B.C. Place stadium will open tonight at 6 p.m., three hours before kick off.

Here’s a map of FIFA match day traffic closures

Postmedia will be covering all the World Cup action in Vancouver. Follow along our match day liveblogs for updates from both inside and outside the stadium.

Article content