Australia and Turkey kick off the FIFA festivities tonight in Vancouver. Follow along our match day liveblog for updates throughout the day and during the match.<\/p>\n
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Published Jun 13, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 2\u00a0minutes ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 10 minute read<\/p>\n
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Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n It\u2019s all over at B.C. Place<\/a>, with the Socceroos pulling off a massive win and putting Group D on notice.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 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 \u201cdominate\u201d Saturday\u2019s game, and they did dominate possession, but the Socceroos were defensively sublime with a five-man backline and KO\u2019d Turkey on the counters.<\/p>\n Australia coach Tony Popovic rolled the dice with some late-day roster decisions, dropping captain Mathew Ryan \u2014 100 caps in experience \u2014 in favour of youngster Patrick Beach. Beach faced 27 shots, stopping all six that came through on target \u2014 including some acrobatic saves late in the game \u2014 to earn the shutout.<\/p>\n Australia takes on the USA \u2014 4-1 winners over Paraguay earlier this weekend \u2014 next Friday.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n It was the first competitive start for Beach, who got some words of wisdom from Ryan and second-stringer Paul Izzo before the game.<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cIt was amazing. This is a dream come true,\u201d said Beach. \u201cFor 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\u2019s just one of the best nights ever.<\/p>\n \u201cMatty and Paulie both have been really, really great for me, you know, great goalkeepers, great guys. They\u2019ve 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, \u201cEnjoy 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.’\u201d<\/p>\n On the talk from Turkey about dominating leading up to the game:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c(The result) speaks for itself. We\u2019re a resilient team, we don\u2019t really like to do much talking.\u00a0We just get out there and put our best foot forward and stick together as a whole group \u2014 players and staff together \u2014 and we know what our performances are, and the levels that we can get to.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019ve got nothing to say back to them. They\u2019re a great opposition, they got great players, and like I said, we don\u2019t worry about that stuff.<\/p>\n Canucks Report<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cWe know we\u2019re the underdogs and in the minds of a lot of other people and a lot of teams, and we\u2019re happy with that. We go and let our performance do the talking, and I think that\u2019s the best way to talk and show everyone what Australia is about.\u201d<\/p>\n On Irankunda\u2019s goal, which came on the counter-attack after Beach made a big save:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c(It was) just absolutely scenes, wasn\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n On pre-game nerves:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou get out there and you\u2019re in front of 50,000 people, and how many around the world? So there\u2019s never, but at the end of the day, you just keep the simple. It\u2019s a game of football and two teams just going at it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 10:33 p.m.<\/p>\n It\u2019s 2-0 to the Socceroos!<\/p>\n 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 U\u011furcan \u00c7ak\u0131r.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Aussies are in full throat in the stadium, with a good portion of them shirtless, too. Official attendance: 52,497 \u2014 a sell-out.<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 10:21 p.m.<\/p>\n Irankunda, Australia\u2019s 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\u2019ve dropped into a 5-4-1 low block as Turkey presses.<\/p>\n Turkey\u2019s Merih Demiral is helpfully stretching out Mohamed Tour\u00e9\u2019s hamstring at midfield, even as his team is going the other way looking for the equalizer.<\/p>\n 10:16 p.m.<\/p>\n 55th minute: Australia answers with a sustained bout of their own pressure after a corner, but can\u2019t connect on any of their crosses. 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.<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 10:12 p.m.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n But the Turks are buzzing, pushing hard for the equalizer, and the stadium is getting louder by the minute.<\/p>\n Three corners inside the first five minutes for Turkey.<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Turkish fan Gokhan admitted to nerves, but also quipped: \u201cBut I\u2019m not stressed, I know final score: it will be 2-1.\u201d<\/p>\n 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: \u201cit looks great of course\u2026because it\u2019s full.\u201d<\/p>\n Kumar normally cheers for Fiji when the rugby sevens come to town, but he was more than happy to cheer for the Aussies.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is very fun.\u201d And you\u2019re feeling a little taller? \u201cOh yes,\u201d he replied, flashing a big grin.<\/p>\n \u2014 Patrick Johnston<\/p>\n 9:49 p.m.<\/p>\n In the fourth minute of first half added time, Alessandro Circatti saved Australia\u2019s bacon. The defender slid slow to block a shot inside the area that appeared destined for goal.<\/p>\n At the half, two numbers stand out to me: Turkey 59 \u2013 Australia 33 in possession, but the xG is .55 for Australia to .29 for Turkey.<\/p>\n Advertisement 7<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 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\u2019 back five has been near-impenetrable.<\/p>\n 9:40 p.m.<\/p>\n 41st minute. Gotta say, the Aussies have been playing a style that was once favoured by your Vancouver Whitecaps \u2014 when Carl Robinson was coach. \u2018RobboBall,\u2019 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.<\/p>\n One always suspected that Robinson was a fan of Jose Mourinho, who was known for saying that it was better to play without the ball than with; if you don\u2019t have the ball, it\u2019s harder to make mistakes!<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u2014 Patrick Johnston\u00a0<\/p>\n 9:29 p.m.: GOAL AUSTRALIA!<\/p>\n In the 26th minute, Turkish wunderkind Arda Guler has the first big chance of the game, but Beach is equal to the task. Advertisement 8<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Irankunda, 20, is Australia\u2019s youngest ever goalscorer.<\/p>\n Turkey have dominated possession, yes, but not the game. The Aussies have looked dangerous on counters all night.<\/p>\n The Turks aren\u2019t done though, with Abdulkerim Bardakci ringing one off the post.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 9:15 p.m.<\/p>\n 16th minute: According to the possession stats up on the big screen, Turkey has held the ball for 73 per cent of the first 10 minutes of play. The Aussies have managed 26 \u2026 helpfully, they acknowledge the one per cent of the time no one has the ball.<\/p>\n The big screen, by the way, has been hoisted as high as it can go. Great angle up here in the upper bowl, but I have to wonder how awkward it is for fans down below.<\/p>\n \u2014 Patrick Johnston<\/p>\n It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 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, \u201cturk-iy-e.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 9<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n They\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n \u2014 Patrick Johnston<\/p>\n 8:51 p.m.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s not a sellout, it\u2019s damn closes. A few small patches of empty seats, but we\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 8:35 p.m.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Down Under. Feel free to sing along.<\/a><\/p>\n As I wrote Friday, Turkey claims they will \u201cdominate\u201d tonight\u2019s game<\/a>. They\u2019re definitely winning the fan battle.<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 8:30 p.m. \u2014 T-minus 30 minutes to kickoff<\/p>\n Here\u2019s your starting XI for Australia and Turkey.<\/p>\n The Knicks just won the NBA Championship, but according to Gianni Infantino, no one cares.<\/p>\n \u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. PT<\/p>\n It\u2019s T-minus 90 minutes to kickoff at B.C. Place<\/a>, and it\u2019s already sweltering inside, even with sparse crowds in the stands.<\/p>\n Advertisement 10<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n As former Vancouver sports editor Jonathan McDonald<\/a> once said about B.C. Place during a B.C. Lions game, it\u2019s \u201chotter than the hinges to the gates of hell.\u201d But that\u2019s probably because the media box is in the nosebleeds, where all the heat gets trapped.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t quite as one-sided as predicted. The Turkish contingent marched hundreds strong to the game, singing out:<\/p>\n Haydi T\u00fcrkiye! Advertisement 11<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 12<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Aussies weren\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Check it out here: Energy reaches a fever pitch downtown Vancouver ahead of first World Cup match at B.C. Place<\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement 13<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n And this bit of fan banter almost needs a poll \u2026<\/p>\n Advertisement 14<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u00a0\u2014 JJ Adams<\/p>\n Read more coverage of FIFA in Vancouver:<\/p>\n \u2022 Got World Cup tickets? Better read this (surprising) list of rules for B.C. Place entry<\/a> LIVE BLOGSaturday, June 13: Australia versus Turkey<\/p>\n 9 p.m.: First FIFA match hosted in Vancouver kicks off between Australia and Turkey<\/p>\n The city\u2019s first FIFA match is set to kick off at 9 p.m. between Australia and Turkey.<\/p>\n 5 p.m.: The Last Mile fan zone opens to public<\/p>\n The Last Mile, a pedestrian-only corridor and fan zone for both ticket holders and non-ticket holders, opens four hours before kick off.<\/p>\n Doors to B.C. Place stadium will open tonight at 6 p.m., three hours before kick off.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n![\"Nestory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2281477647.jpg\")
Follow along our match day liveblog for updates throughout the day and during the match. Photo by Richard Heathcote\/Getty Images \/PNGArticle content<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.4.0\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\"){kind=logo}
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<\/p>\n![\"Australia's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/png-0613n-fifaworldcup-663_303706284.jpg\")
Australia\u2019s Connor Metcalfe fights for the ball with Turkey\u2019s Abdulkerim Bardakci . Photo by Jason Payne \/PNG<\/p>\n
Then Jordon Bos puts Kerem Akturkoglu on the turf with a brilliant shake and bake to advance the ball in midfield, drawing cheers \u2014 and jeers from the crowd.<\/p>\n![\"Jordan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2281480781.jpg\")
Jordan Bos #5 of Australia is challenged by Hakan Calhanoglu #10 of Turkiye during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Australia and T\u00fcrkiye at BC Place Vancouver Saturday. Photo by Stu Forster\/Getty Images \/PNG<\/p>\n
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\u2019s opening goal \u2014 and on their first shot of the game, no less.<\/p>\n![\"Turkey](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/png-0613n-fifaworldcup-454_303706266.jpg\")
Turkey goaltender Ugurcan Cakir grabs a corner kick in the first half of play. Photo by Jason Payne \/PNG9:06 p.m<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Unknown-6.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"Mathew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2281467503.jpg\")
Mathew Ryan of Australia arrives at the stadium before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Australia and T\u00fcrkiye at BC Place Vancouver on Saturday. Photo by Stu Forster\/Getty Images \/PNG<\/p>\n
Bu sevda bitmez!
Vur, vur, inlesin,
T\u00fcm d\u00fcnya dinlesin!
\u015eampiyon T\u00fcrkiye!<\/p>\n
\u2022 Trying to avoid FIFA madness? Here are all the match day traffic closures and detours<\/a>
\u2022 FIFA 2026: Here\u2019s a list of World Cup events and activities in Metro Vancouver<\/a>
\u2022 \u2018This will be different for locals\u2019: TransLink announces World Cup 2026 transit plans<\/a>
\u2022 These routes were made for walking: Organizers promote pedestrian access to World Cup games<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Crowd](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/png-0613n-fifaworldcup-083_303704334.jpg\")
Fans outside BC Place stadium before the start of Australia versus Turkey in Vancouver, BC during the FIFA World Cup 2026. Photo by Jason Payne \/PNG<\/p>\n![\"match](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/matchday_closures_V4-scaled-e1780594078533.jpg\")
Here\u2019s a map of FIFA Vancouver\u2019s match day traffic closures. Photo by HANDOUT \/ FIFA VANCOUVER<\/p>\n
![\"Limo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0604-fifa-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Jacquie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0527-fifa-1.jpg\")
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