Australia got off to an impressive start at the 2026 World Cup by beating Turkey 2-0 in Vancouver, ending a run of four consecutive opening-game defeats.
The hero for the "Socceroos" was goalkeeper Patrick Beach, who made eight saves in his first official match.
Türkiye started the match more proactively, creating several chances for Arda Guler, but they were unable to beat Beach.
Conversely, Australia unexpectedly took the lead in the 27th minute when Nestory Irankunda skillfully controlled a long pass from Paul Okon-Engstler before finishing past Cakir. The goal made the Watford striker the youngest player to score for Australia at the World Cup.
After the break, coach Vincenzo Montella brought Kenan Yildiz onto the field to boost the attack, but the Turkish offense remained ineffective against Beach.
In the 75th minute, Connor Metcalfe sealed the 2-0 victory with a spectacular long-range shot. Australia will face hosts USA in the next round, while Türkiye must find points against Paraguay to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
Goals: Irankunda 27', Metcalfe 75'.
Starting lineup:
Australia (5-4-1): Beach; Circati, Italiano, Bos, Souttar, Burgess; Metcalfe, O'Neill, Okon-Engstler, Iran; Toure.
Turkey (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu; Calhanoglu, Yuksek; Guler, Kokcu, Yilmaz; Akturkoglu.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/video-bong-da-uc-vs-tho-nhi-ky-world-cup-2026-2525742.html
































































