![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/7b762cbd2302694658d8bb76353f92e3.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nNo Socceroos goalkeeper has experienced the highs and lows of a World Cup campaign quite like Mark Schwarzer.<\/p>\n
The Australian legend, whose penalty shootout saves sent his country to the 2006 World Cup, played the first two games at that tournament in Germany before being controversially dropped for Zejlko Kalac in the crucial third match against Croatia.<\/p>\n
As a result, Schwarzer can relate to both of Australia’s current goalkeepers \u2014 Pat Beach, who has become a new national hero after an inspired display, and Mat Ryan, who was a shock omission for the game against T\u00fcrkiye.<\/p>\n
At 22 years old and making just his third international start, Beach’s inclusion came as a shock to most. But by the time he was done, having made eight saves in Australia’s 2-0 win, nobody was questioning coach Tony Popovic.<\/p>\n
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Pat Beach made eight saves in Australia’s 2-0 win. (AP Photo: Abbie Parr)<\/p>\n
“Patrick\u202fBeach,\u202fI\u202fmean,\u202fI\u202ftake\u202fmy\u202fhat\u202foff\u202fto\u202fhim\u202fbecause\u202fthe\u202fguy\u202fwas\u202foutstanding,” Schwarzer told ABC Sport Daily’s World Cup podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n “He was put in an incredibly pressurised position.<\/p>\n “The\u202fmanager\u202fobviously\u202fbelieved\u202fin\u202fhim\u202f100 per cent because otherwise he would never have put him in that position.”<\/p>\n The highlight of Beach’s day was an outrageous fingertip save from a sizzling Abdulkerim Bardakci shot in the first half.<\/p>\n Diving full-length to his right, Beach somehow managed to tip Bardakci’s goal-bound shot onto the post.<\/p>\n “I mean, his save in the first half. I was watching the commentary here in the US, and they didn’t even comment on it,” Schwarzer said.<\/p>\n “And once they did actually see it, it was a bit afterwards like, ‘Oh yeah, a good save from the goalkeeper.’<\/p>\n “I’m like, ‘Hang on a second. That save was world-class! It was a game-saving, game-changing save.”’<\/p>\n Mat Ryan and Jackson Irvine were surprise omissions for the Socceroos. (AP Photo: Abbie Parr)<\/p>\n But while Beach enjoyed his evening in the sun, Socceroos captain and incumbent goalkeeper Mat Ryan watched the action from the bench.<\/p>\n It’s a feeling Schwarzer can relate to, and he knows that while Ryan will be delighted for his team, he will still be hurting.<\/p>\n![\"Mat](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0982eea541d38d0b5b33cac5f802033a.jpeg\")
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![\"Nestory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4af5bdad8e8077842d3822b64123d2fb.jpeg\")
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