Key events<\/p>\n
77 mins: Akturkoglu heads straight at Beach on the six yard line!<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 mins: For bravery, discipline, industry, and the quality of strikes, this is on tracj to be Australia\u2019s greatest ever World Cup performance. Absolutely unbelievable scenes in Vancouver.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Out of nothing, Australia<\/a> double their lead. The Socceroos clear to midfield and benefit from some poor Turkish control. Metcalfe picks the ball up with nothing on, drives a few metres forward and infield, approaches the D, then lets fly with a low left-footed effort that scuds along the BC Place turf, beyond Cakir\u2019s despairing dive, and inside the post. Australia are in dreamland.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Australia 2-0 Turkey (Metcalfe 75)<\/p>\n Wow! Connor Metcalfe, take a bow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 74 mins: Yengi and Geria do come on. The former for the injured Toure, the latter for the overworked Italiano. Geria will have the dangerous Yildiz to deal with.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 73 mins: The corner isn\u2019t great, the second ball is slow, and Guler eventually shoots over from distance.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 72 mins: Yildiz shows his dancing feet on the left to get a yard free of Italiano but Circati defends the cross at stretch superbly. Turkey keep coming and Celik finds himself in space on the right, he can get into the box and do something decisive \u2013 he shoots at the tiny space between Beach and his left-hand post and the ball goes behind for a corner. A very very rare look at open space in Australia\u2019s box there.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70 mins: The crowd sing Mr Brightside as the drinks break ends. A tune I think would have been a belting terrace anthem at Old Trafford in the 80s when Norman Whiteside was running around.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.31 EDT<\/p>\n 69 mins: Geria and Yengi look like they are being readied to come on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe are getting too deep,\u201d warns James Paraskevas. \u201cThe counter attacking threat is disappearing. Great chance to get fresh legs on. Mabil, Volpato, Hrustic, could be used.\u201d Agreed.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The teams regroup at the three quarter time break. Can Australia<\/a> cling on? Can Montella find a moment of magic from someone?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 66 mins: Toure wastes a rare counterattacking opportunity and looks hurt in the process. Turkey<\/a> try to exploiut the opportunity but Burgess \u2013 who has been magnificent (along with Souttar and Circati) \u2013 settles any nerves by shielding the ball out for a goal kick.<\/p>\n Mohamed Toure #9 of Australia runs with the ball Photograph: Sarah Stier\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.30 EDT<\/p>\n 65 mins: Yildiz has two further efforts from outside the box charged down. The game is now being played in about a fifth of the surface area of the BC Place pitch.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 64 mins: Pressure is building now from Turkey. Calhanoglu looks set to shoot in the D but Okon-Engstler gets a toe in \u2013 atoning for his earlier concession of possession after good work from Bos. Australia<\/a> are now trapped in their defensive third and look incapable of forcing their way out at the moment.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 63 mins: Just like his teammates in the opening half Yildiz resorts to just putting his laces through the ball outside the box, but his hopeful effort is closed down. Turkey regather possession and try to work it in front of the Australian defence but there is no way though the massed ranks of gold jerseys.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 62 mins: Yildiz again looks threatening down the left but as he reaches the byline he\u2019s crowded out and isolated and Australia<\/a> smuggle clear.<\/p>\n Turkey make their second change with Kokcu replaced by Akgun.<\/p>\n Kenan Yildiz (11) of Turkiye gestures Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.24 EDT<\/p>\n 61 mins: Nishan Velupilay is on to give goalscorer Nestory Irankuna a breather.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 60 mins: Guler picks up a clearing header but his cute pass inside can\u2019t find a teammate. Then it\u2019s over to the other young superstar Yildiz who dances past Italiano one-on-one and into the box, but the Australian wingback doesn\u2019t give up and gets a toe to a challenge that does just enough to disrupt the shooting opportunity. The Juve flyer could have gone down under that challenge but kept his feet.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 59 mins: Lovely interplay from Australia<\/a> through midfield and down the right buys them some time and territory. Turkey clear but that only allows more composed possession across the Socceroos defence.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 57 mins: Great save from Beach! Guler curled it low with his left foot around the wall, but to the keeper\u2019s side and the youngster got down low to parry the shot away. It leads to a corner that Turkey<\/a> do well to keep alive but Kokcu can\u2019t capitalise on the crumbs, hooking an effort high and wide.<\/p>\n Patrick Beach (L) of Australia makes a save Photograph: Bob Frid\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.19 EDT<\/p>\n 56 mins: Poor turnover coming out of the back from Irankunda. It puts Okon-Engstler under pressure and he is compelled to haul down Guler 25m from goal in a central area. Big chance for Turkey<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arda Guler #8 of Turkiye shoots while Paul Okon-Engstler #24 of Australia attempts to block Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.18 EDT<\/p>\n 55 mins: A few passages of broken play and transitional football suit Australia<\/a> but when Toure thinks he has a corner it\u2019s called as a goal kick. Nonetheless, any impetus Turkey began the half with has dissipated.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 54 mins: Souttar wins the corner with a free header, about 14 yards from goal and Toure almost gets a toe to divert it past Cakir but the Turkey<\/a> keeper gets down low to make a strong save. The giant Leicester man is undefendable in the air if the delivery is good enough.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 53 mins: Bos has a cross deflected behind on the left after another unselfish channel run from Toure.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 52 mins: O\u2019Neill does well to break up play in midfield but he has nobody to go to as Montella marches around his technical area waving and urging his players to press.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 51 mins: A dangerous set piece is glanced behind for another corner by Souttar. Turkey<\/a> try to work the second around the edge of the box but Souttar is there again when it\u2019s finally thrown into the mixer.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50 mins: Yildiz is much more dangerous on the left that Yilmaz. his close control brings Turkey\u2019s possession play into the penalty area. Kadioglu gets involved, then the drive is deflected wide for a corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49 mins: It\u2019s another poor corner, after which Italiano needlessly larrups a second effort miles wide. In the age of mega-data analysis, which do fullbacks still insist on thumping clearing headers from corners instead of recycling play?<\/p>\n Jacob Italiano (4) of Australia in action Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.13 EDT<\/p>\n 48 mins: Australia\u2019s first counter of the half is full of menace. The Socceroos win the ball in dispute in midfield and the threat of Irankunda\u2019s pace has Turkey\u2019s defence retreating instead of trying to win back possession. The ball is fed left to Bos who cuts in and curls a deflected right-footed effort wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47 mins: Turkey<\/a> immediately on the front foot, trying to get Yildiz involved down the left. The ball comes back to Calhanoglu, who lets fly from the corner of the box, but straight at Beach.<\/p>\n Hakan Calhanoglu of Turkiye in action Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a001.09 EDT<\/p>\n 46 mins: One change for Turkey<\/a> at the break with Yilmaz making way for \u2026 Kenan Yildiz. Turkey now at full strength with all their big guns on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The teams are out for the second half. Only just noticed Tony Popovic has gone full Simeone with his outfit today. Lovely stuff.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Turkey lead possession 70-30. Australia<\/a> lead xG 0.59-0.44. Styles make fights.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time mailbag II<\/p>\n Onder Susam shares the frustrations of Turkish supporters. \u201cWe are having the same problem we\u2019ve had the last two years. Our strikerless formation serves us well against balanced opposition but when opponents defend and give us possession, it\u2019s tough for us to get anyone in the box. Uzun or G\u00fcl might work out for us. We\u2019ve had no luck on the right wing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat half from Australia<\/a>,\u201d writes James Paraskevas. \u201cWe are looking good for a win! Irakunda should have had a double. We look more dangerous on the counter than Turkey do in possession. But we need one more to be safe. Keep pumping it up to Irakunda and Toure on the break, and don\u2019t ball watch in defence. Could play Mabil or Volpato here off the bench for Metcalfe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHrjustic would definitely improve the scandalous set piece deliveries, which have cost us another goal,\u201d offers Chris Paraskevas. \u201cIrankunda and Toure are encouraging and frustrating in equal measure – they both have picked up the ball in great positions and too often don\u2019t do anything with it. Okon ver.2 has grown into it well and the midfield are working extremely hard, but will need Irvine\u2019s calming presence later on (his legs are gone but there is a role for him). Cam Burgess my player of the first half – reading the game superbly and in full colossus mode.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time mailbag I<\/p>\n \u201cWith the vile hatred being stirred up by Pauline Hanson at the moment, how truly wonderful that our first goal of this world cup was scored by a superb man, born in a refugee camp in Tanzania and who came to Australia<\/a> as a baby,\u201d emails Karris Evans. \u201cA true Australian hero we can all be proud of. Plus he\u2019s a Perth lad so I may be biased.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs it just me,\u201d asks Paul Cockburn, \u201cor has the quality of crosses been larhely really poor so far in this World Cup<\/a>. Turkiye seem determined to make a mess of theirs.\u201d It\u2019s not just you Paul, and Australia (Metcalfe especially) are also guilty.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019m off for a sponsor\u2019s beverage. Here\u2019s some half-time reading to keep you going.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n That could hardly have gone better for Australia<\/a>. All of Tony Popovic\u2019s big calls have paid off so far. The Socceroos are 45 minutes away from a result that will guarantee them knockout football.<\/p>\n Head coach of Australia, Tony Popovic Photograph: Anadolu\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Turkey have looked tidy and the more technical of the two sides but they need much more ambition in attack. If Australia remain disciplined in defence it\u2019s hard to see how Turkey<\/a>, set up in this way, will fashion clear goalscoring opportunities.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.59 EDT<\/p>\n Half-time: Australia 1-0 Turkey<\/p>\n Counterattack leads possession-based attack 1-0 at the break.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45+4 mins: Yilmaz remains the outlet for Turkey on the left. He works the ball inside to \u00c7alhano\u011flu but his cross is poor. Turkey come again and this time Guler does almost unpick the Australian defence but Akturkoglu can\u2019t get the ball out of his feet under pressure from swarming golden defenders.<\/p>\n Connor Metcalfe #8 of Australia takes on Baris Alper Yilmaz #21 of Turkiye Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.52 EDT<\/p>\n 45+3 mins: Four minutes of added time in total at the end of this half, by the way. It\u2019s been pretty of stoppages, apart from the obvious massive sponsored one.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45+1 min: Yilmaz, Kadioglu, Guler, all get neat touches of the ball around the Australian box but there\u2019s no room for them to find the required vertical pass to get in behind. Australia\u2019s numbers smuggle the ball clear, then Beach double fists Yilmaz\u2019s latest cross from the left. Eventually the defensive industry forces an error and Beach can settle the tempo with a goal kick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 mins: Irankunda close again! Lovely triangular passing on the left by Australia<\/a>, unpicking the Turkey midfield and defence, freeing Irankunda in the channel. He cuts inside, just like his goal, but this time his shot is straight at Cakir.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 43 mins: Okon-Engstler gets robbed in midfield and Turkey<\/a> have a five on three! It\u2019s so slow and lacking in urgency though that by the time Kokcu tries to square the ball the Socceroos have numbers to clear. That must be so frustrating for Vincenco Montella. That was a golden opportunity and didn\u2019t even lead to a shot.<\/p>\n Turkey’s Orkun Kokcu (6) challenges for the ball with Australia’s Paul Okon-Engstler (24) Photograph: Abbie Parr\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.46 EDT<\/p>\n 42 mins: Guler, desperate to insert himself in this contest, lashes a shot high and wide from outside the D, cutting in from the eight on his left. Again Australia<\/a> had plenty of defenders around the action denying Turkey\u2019s attackers any time and space.<\/p>\n