{"id":777822,"date":"2026-07-04T04:24:22","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T04:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/777822\/"},"modified":"2026-07-04T04:24:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T04:24:22","slug":"big-mistake-ex-socceroos-attack-popovics-gambles-as-australia-exit-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/777822\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Big mistake\u2019: Ex-Socceroos attack Popovic\u2019s gambles as Australia exit World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Nick<\/p>\n

Updated July 4, 2026 \u2014 12:14pm,first published July 4, 2026 \u2014 8:25am<\/p>\n

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Arlington: Socceroos coach Tony Popovic is defending his surprise decision to bring on goalkeeper Maty Ryan for the spot kicks, insisting it played no part in Australia\u2019s heartbreaking World Cup penalty shootout elimination against Egypt.<\/p>\n

After the match finished 1-1, defender Harry Souttar blasted his penalty over the bar and 18-year-old Lucas Herrington\u2019s later effort hit the post as Australia lost their first World Cup shootout 4-2.<\/p>\n

\"HarryHarry Souttar\u2019s penalty flies over the crossbar.AP Photo\/Julio Cortez<\/p>\n

The loss means Australia have yet to win a knockout stage match at the World Cup in three attempts.<\/p>\n

After Souttar missed with Australia\u2019s first kick, Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabil then converted their chances, but when Herrington hit the post and Hossam Abdelmaguid guided his in for Egypt, the Socceroos were out.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Harry<\/a><\/p>\n

Popovic defended his decision to have a teenager in Herrington<\/a> as one of the side\u2019s penalty takers despite his young age, saying he had shown he could handle the pressure in Australia\u2019s crucial game against Paraguay.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019d be saying something else if the young kid scored,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019d probably be sitting there saying how wonderful it is that an 18-year-old had scored.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has played the last two games as an 18-year-old, so if I trust him to play in a game that we needed to get a result, in a game that elimination was on the line. What\u2019s the difference with a penalty?\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the decision to substitute on Ryan, who had not played a minute at this tournament, for Patrick Beach came after Australia found themselves with unused substitutions in the final moments of extra time.<\/p>\n

Beach, who has been a standout in this World Cup after his shock selection over Ryan in the opening game win against Turkey, pulled off a miraculous, reflex save in the game\u2019s final moments to help force extra time.<\/p>\n

After the game, neither Ryan nor Beach said they knew Popovic was planning the swap.<\/p>\n

Former Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich told Stan Sport\u2019s Extra Time he was \u201castounded\u201d by the coach\u2019s decision. Ex-Socceroo Robbie Slater went further on the show, saying it was a \u201cbig mistake\u201d that would \u201cdefine Popovic\u2019s coaching career\u201d. Slater also criticised Popovic\u2019s decision to have someone as young as Herrington take a penalty.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just felt that Maty\u2019s experience would be the difference,\u201d Popovic said. \u201cIn the end, it didn\u2019t, it didn\u2019t work out that way, but not because of Maty\u2019s poor judgment or lack of ability; they took critical penalties.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a selection surprise from a coach who has gained a reputation for pulling them this World Cup, although Australia started the game against Egypt with an unchanged line-up from that used in the scoreless draw against Paraguay. It was the first time Popovic had not tinkered with the Socceroos starting XI in his 22 games in charge.<\/p>\n

\"MatMat Ryan (centre) replaced Patrick Beach ahead of the penalty shootout, for the former\u2019s first outing at this World Cup.AP Photo\/Tony Gutierrez<\/p>\n

It almost paid dividends. Cristian Volpato nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute when a strike off his favoured left foot sailed high, kissing the crossbar on its way through.<\/p>\n

A minute later, it was Volpato again, this time deftly flicking the ball on to Jordan Bos, who made a storming run into Egypt\u2019s box before the ball was cleared in a desperate, last-ditch defensive intervention.<\/p>\n

But the bright start faded in the 13th minute when a momentary defensive lapse following a set-piece put the Socceroos behind. Emam Ashour headed home a perfectly weighted cross in the 13th minute after being left unchecked at the back post.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"Heartbreak<\/a><\/p>\n

The danger came after midfielder Jackson Irvine conceded a free kick on the edge of Australia\u2019s 18-yard box during Egypt\u2019s first real venture into the Socceroos\u2019 half.<\/p>\n

Ashour\u2019s initial shot, after the free-kick was laid off to him by Mohamed Salah, was blocked by the Australian defence, but the clearance only made its way back to Karim Hafez. The fullback floated a second ball back into the danger zone for the waiting winger to nod home.<\/p>\n

Australia wrestled control of the back after the first hydration break, evening up possession and asking questions of the Egyptian defence. Aziz Behich forced Pharaohs keeper Mostafa Shobeir into a save just before halftime after the Egyptian backline failed to effectively clear a long throw-in.<\/p>\n

Bos went off at halftime after a heavy tackle from Rami Rabia where he suffered an apparent left knee injury. Popovic said at full-time he was surprised the challenge did not even warrant a yellow card, with the Feyenoord defender to undergo scans in the coming days.<\/p>\n

And it was almost a double-blow for Australia 10 seconds into the second half when Omar Marmoush got clear and had the chance to put Egypt up by two only to fire wide.<\/p>\n

Australia however, rallied and deservedly equalised when Egypt\u2019s Mohamed Hany headed an Aiden O\u2019Neill free kick into his own net. The Socceroos\u2019 set pieces had been wasteful up to that point.<\/p>\n

This match was considered a prime opportunity for Australia to win a knockout game having lost to Italy in 2006 and Argentina in 2022, given how evenly matched the two sides were.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Egyptian captain Mohamed Salah played the full 120 minutes and scored his penalty in the shootout despite being under an injury cloud for the week leading up to the match. The ex-Liverpool star said he\u2019d told his side \u201cthis is the biggest stage \u2026 just enjoy it\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided at the last minute [to take a penalty],\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if it is my last World Cup or not but I had to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Egypt, who are into the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time, will play Argentina in Atlanta in a round of 16 clash next Wednesday (AEST).<\/p>\n

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\"NickNick Ralston<\/a> is the deputy editor and investigations editor for The Sydney Morning Herald. He has previously spent time as news editor, justice editor and world editor.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Updated July 4, 2026 \u2014 12:14pm,first published July 4, 2026 \u2014 8:25am Save You have reached your maximum…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":777823,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,44],"class_list":["post-777822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/777822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=777822"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/777822\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/777823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=777822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=777822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=777822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}