Special Socceroos show yet more resilience, with FIFA World Cup hopes simmering nicely

Australia Broadcast Center

a day ago

Amidst the steamy euphoria of the Socceroos' direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, coach Tony Popovic allowed himself a smile.
And my word hasn't he earned it!
But barely hidden in that smile was another layer of steely resolve that suggested this special Socceroos team was not done yet.
"We've done the first part, qualifying automatically," Popovic told Paramount+ at full time of the Socceroos' come-from-behind 2-1 victory in Jeddah.
"Now, the next part is to be bigger and better at the World Cup."
Better may be subjective — personnel is unlikely to change dramatically in the next 12 months or so before the tournament kicks off — and in some regards, there is little to improve.
World Cups are, of course, hard-won by some of the greatest names in world football with the sort of depth that Australian fans can only dream of.
But tournaments are not the places to be flashy.
Character matters almost as much as skill.
The ability to respond to setbacks and bounce back from adversity is as prized as the mazy dribbling skills of Europe's best.
Goal scorers Mitch Duke and Connor Metcalf both praised the character of the Socceroos in their post-match interviews, and it is that character that has managed to see them home and through to a sixth-successive final.
"That's the mentality the boss has created within us, we didn't get phased by the one-goal deficit and we bounced back," Duke said.
"This group is so special and so mentally tough," Metcalf added.
"It's hard to beat us."
"I think that's been a characteristic since the first day I arrived," added Popovic, who saw his charges come from a goal down in his very first game in charge against China, hold Japan to a draw in his second, rescue a point from a goal down in Bahrain in his fourth, and then record back-to-back wins over two of Asia's biggest teams in Japan and Saudi Arabia.
"To show that character, resilience, to come back and win the game…" he added.
"We've built a good foundation now."
Popovic has every reason to be happy.
He is now eight games unbeaten since taking over the job and has a sixth-consecutive World Cup qualification assured, turning a floundering ship away from the troubled waters they found themselves in at the start of qualification.
Of course, not many of these matches have been of the free-flowing style that some may prefer.
Indeed, of the eight matches Popovic has presided over, just three have seen the Socceroos hold the majority of possession, both home and away victories against China and the 2-2 draw in Bahrain in November.
And yet, only twice have the Socceroos allowed more shots on target than they have managed themselves: In the 1-1 draw against Japan in Saitama — Japan had three shots on target to Australia's zero — and in Wednesday's victory over Saudi Arabia, when the Green Falcons managed six shots on goal to Australia's three.
Indeed, the Socceroos have had fewer shots in total than their opponents in five of their eight matches under Popovic (with one level).
But they've still not been beaten, their conversion rate is superb.
After some wayward shooting in the first three matches under Popovic, when just six of the 32 shots the Socceroos had were on target for four goals, in the five matches since then, Australia has had 20 of its 35 shots on target and scored 12 goals.
The six shots on goal that they conceded against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah was the same number as the previous three games combined.
In short, the Socceroos are limiting guilt-edged chances for their opponents, and making the most of theirs. That's perfect tournament football.
While the victory over Japan in Perth defined the very meaning of smash and grab, this victory over Saudi Arabia in the stifling humidity and heat of Jeddah was a triumph of planning and execution.
Sure, Saudi Arabia dominated possession, and territory, and had twice as many shots on target as Australia, but given they needed to win big, that was to be expected.
The Green Falcons needed goals, five of them to be exact, to knock Australia out of second spot on the table and steal the second direct qualification spot.
And Popovic knew this — a resolute back five created a defensive shield that no manner of sprightly Saudi attacks could breach with the frequency they required, with Nashville midfielder Patrick Yazbek handed a first start to sit in front of that five in a defensive role to stymie the hosts' inventiveness.
In the end, Yazbek was simply one member of a four-man midfield that, without the ball, sat deep and added another rampart to the Roos defence.
Saudi Arabia was not to be denied, the brilliant Salem Al-Dawsari creating magic and dragging the Green Falcons into the lead early enough in the piece to create a murmur of concern through the Socceroos ranks.
Conceding, given the situation, was not unexpected, but fighting back and taking the chances that came their way shows resilience and character in this team that proves it is capable of doing great things.
"It's exciting," Popovic said.
"We want to really get better, kick on and try and do something special at the World Cup.
That should not be beyond the realms of possibility.
With a solid foundation and a year of international windows for Popovic to trial new combinations without the pressure of needing wins, is another fairytale run in North America really beyond reach?
The Socceroos are likely to be written off by the rest of the world.
But as Japan and Saudi Arabia will tell them, this Socceroos team are far from being pushovers.
Nobody is suggesting that the Socceroos head to this bloated, 48-team World Cup among the favourites.
But football is a funny beast, and stranger things have happened, and few would relish the challenge of dismantling a defence that is likely to be bolstered by Harry Souttar's immense presence when he recovers from his Achilles tear.
Dare to dream? That's the whole point, isn't it?