Summary
Thanks for joining me today on an historic occasion for Australian football. Stay tuned for live coverage of the day’s remaining three matches with Poland v Saudi Arabia up next.
I’ll see you back here soon.
Harry Souttar was a giant out there, literally and metaphorically. He’s had a word to Australian TV.
It feels great, it was an absolute battle out there. Both teams going at it. We were hanging on a little bit towards the last ten, 15 minutes. But all the lads put their bodies on the line, making tackles, making the blocks. It was just an amazing feeling and that relief to go over the line and to get three points. We know we could have played better in the France game, we were disappointed with ourselves and the manner of the goals we conceded. But I think everyone defending to really put that right. Yes, just so happy we got through.
I don’t think I was on the ball much, just trying to defend the box. And every single one of us did that exceptionally well. Coming for crosses, taking pressure off the back four, the midfield dropping back for wing-backs, the wingers took again doing unbelievable and so pleased for everyone. The players, the staff, please for the manager.
Here’s Emma Kemp’s match report hot off the press.
Here’s Arnie:
I’m proud of the boys for showing that great fighting Aussie spirit. We were in their faces all the time. I hope we made the nation very proud.
Look, the other night, we played against the current world champions and the boys had the same effort level. The effort level was incredible. Again, when the doubters hate us, bring it on.
After the first game I said it was the best friendly we could have had against France. Because you make a small mistake and you get punished. And a lot of those mistakes were removed tonight and I could not be more proud of the boys. Incredible effort. The Australian fans here, great support. And now we move forward.
France still top group D on three points but it’s now on goal difference from Australia. Denmark and Tunisia are languishing on one point with both still yet to play the French.
It’s looking bad for the Eagles of Carthage from here, and Denmark will have added motivation for their clash with the World Cup holders later today.
Mitch Duke is so happy he’s got tears in his eyes.
No words, such a big moment for my family and the supporters. It is the best feeling in the world, but try not to get too caught up because there is one more game to win and get out of the group.
The best moment of my life and my football career, there are no words. Just so happy and proud of the boys. We made so many sacrifices to get here. It is the best feeling in the world.
Honestly, I will go to war with these boys. A huge shift by the lads, keeping the clean sheet and getting a result, we fought until the end, everyone gave 110% and that is all you can ask. We showed the Aussie spirit and we got the result.
2 - Australia have kept just their second clean sheet at the #FIFAWorldCup, and first in 15 games since a goalless draw with Chile in 1974. Daz. pic.twitter.com/vh8AoWecxc
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 26, 2022
Australia win their first World Cup game since beating Serbia 2-1 at the 2010 World Cup. They have since gone 7 games without a World Cup win.
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) November 26, 2022
They pick up an important three points against Tunisia. 👏 pic.twitter.com/FBSsJ0CAjR
A victory for Total Bloke-Ball
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) November 26, 2022
Harry Souttar was phenomenal. That was the performance of his life. Aaron Mooy and Jackson Irvine were combative and smart in midfield. Mat Ryan was authoritative in goal. Craig Goodwin, Mitch Duke and Matt Leckie were tireless. A banner night for Arnold’s famous Australian DNA and the Aussie battlers. Expect to win, done done done.
It wasn’t the prettiest match. Quality football was at a premium. But Australia were resolute, scrapped from start to finish, and deserved the three points. What a moment for Graham Arnold as he brings his charges into a huddle with Martin Boyle on crutches in the middle.
Just Australia’s third ever win at the World Cup finals. It keeps the Socceroos alive going into the final group game against Denmark and heaps pressure on the Danes who face France later.
Full-time: Tunisia 0-1 Australia
A famous victory for the Socceroos!
90+5 mins: Australia have dropped deep, Tunisia are lumping long diagonal balls into the final third. None of them cause any threat to a Socceroo rearguard action that is so committed.
90+4 mins: Superb claim from Ryan, commanding his area and plucking a cross out of the sky on the penalty spot with bodies all around him. Tunisia running out of time.
90+3 mins: Tunisia take an age to feed the ball into the box and when they do Australia have enough bodies to snuff out any danger. Mooy then does superbly to clear, forcing Sassi into accepting a yellow card for a deliberate handball.
90+2 mins: What have Tunisia got left? Not enough to get through Harry Souttar who stands tall for the umpteenth time.
90 mins: Australia have done so well all night putting bodies on the line and committing to winning the second and third challenges. Aaron Mooy especially has excelled in a blue collar midfield display.
Six minutes of injury time.
88 mins: Tunisia are building. Kechrida gets free down the right and his pullback finds Khazri but his effort is weak and straight at Ryan.
Updated
87 mins: Sliti comes again, this time exchanging passes and making his way into the box but there’s no clear shooting opportunity. A cross-shot from the left is then drilled straight at Ryan.
86 mins: Souttar again! Tunisia threaten to break in behind but the Aberdonian stretches out one of his go-go Gadget legs and interrupts Khenissi at full speed.
Updated
85 mins: Souttar again brilliant stepping up from the back to nip the ball off the feet of Khazri allowing Mooy to clear.
More subs for Australia with Goodwin and Leckie making way for Awer Mabil and Keanu Baccus.
84 mins: Montassar Talbi with a rare shot on target, but it was straight at Ryan from a long way out and the Australian skipper handles it with aplomb.
82 mins: Tunisia work a couple of passes down the left to generate enough space for a cross that Souttar smuggles behind. Khazri whips in a dangerous corner but the Socceroos are committed at the near post. Souttar is there again to snuff out danger with Tunisia punishing a soft turnover in midfield.
79 mins: Tunisia try route one, but it’s meat and drink for a side schooled in Fitba corner. Souttar wins the aerial battle then Mooy mops up on the ground and sets up some nice ball retention. Everything is starting to get a bit leggy and stretched but Tunisia continue to offer little imagination or wit.
Updated
77 mins: Australia shift the ball around nicely in midfield. Mooy and Irvine have linked well all night, and Goodwin and Behich have always offered an outlet on the left. Leckie tries to keep the move alive but in his desperation he feels the effect of cramp and goes to ground clutching his toes before the trainer comes on with some pickle juice.
75 mins: Dangerous cross from the right from Tunisia that Rowles can only flick on to Msakni, hit he can’t react quickly enough to divert an effort on target.
Degenek on for Karacic for Australia at right fullback.
73 mins: Mooy flashes a half-volley just over the angle of post and bar.
More changes for Tunisia with Bronn and Jebali replaced by Taha Khenissi and Wajdi Kechrida.
71 mins: Australia inches away from a second! Behich does well winning possession then finding Goodwin, who helps the ball onto Maclaren in the channel. His cross flies across the face of goal but the onrushing Leckie can’t execute his slide in time.
Tunisia go down the other end and Msakni draws a sharp save from Ryan at his near post. The ball isn’t cleared fully and another effort arrives from range but straight into Ryan’s breadbasket.
Updated
70 mins: Maclaren’s first touch is a cheap turnover, but Hrustic’s is a lovely piece of skill to get behind the Tunisian defence, but he is obstructed and unlucky not to be awarded a free-kick. Tunisia are now the side dominating possession, but it’s slow ball with plenty of sideways passes and Australia’s defence alert to step up whenever anything is played vertically.
68 mins: Now it is time for Tunisia’s No 10, Wahbi Khazri. He gets the final quarter, replacing Aïssa Laïdouni.
67 mins: Tunisia link a series of passes neatly through the lines and a cute backheel fashions a shooting opportunity for Msakni but his effort is blocked by a forest of bodies in the box. Abdi then tries to slide in Jebali but Souttar is too strong.
65 mins: Ali Abdi has his name taken for pulling back Irvine with Australia threatening to break from midfield.
64 mins: Jamie Maclaren and Ajdin Hrustic come on for the Socceroos. Mitch Duke and Riley McGree make way. Both put in committed shifts and can be proud of their efforts.
63 mins: I wonder why Wahbi Khazri hasn’t seen any action yet? I think plenty of Tunisians are asking the same question.
— Tunisie Football (@tunisiefootball) November 26, 2022
62 mins: Awful from Sassi the sub. Tunisia shift the ball quickly into the final third but Sassi has no patience to build an attack, instead larruping a wild swipe from distance miles wide.
60 mins: Nice skill on the left from Msakni but his cross is too close to Ryan who slaps clear. Abdi then tries to feed the ball into the box but Souttar is positioned well to head away.
58 mins: Australia have absorbed Tunisia’s reaction after half-time and settled back into their game. Jalel Kadri needs to shake things up a bit or this result will slide out of his reach.
56 mins: Tunisia now playing the ball neatly in the middle third with Australia dropping off into a low block. Still the Socceroos find the turnover, Leckie battles hard to retain possession, Irvine carries the ball forward, Goodwin drills a tempting cross along the six-yard box but there’s nobody on hand to finish.
54 mins: Another free-kick to Tunisia clipped into the box but cleared by Australia. The second balls all falling their way and with it more time in possession.
52 mins: All the second balls seemed to land Australia’s way in the opening half but Tunisia have evened the ledger since the break. The Socceroos are being drawn out of their shape and into some rash challenges. From one, a free-kick results and Ryan has to be out smartly off his line to punch clear. Tunisia continue to push for an equaliser and now they have some momentum in midfield the crowd is back in the game.
50 mins: Superb chasing back from Leckie on the right to help out his fullback and earn a free-kick with Tunisia looking dangerous. Australia take advantage and on the counter McGree is canny to free Goodwin on the left and his cross is dangerous in the box but there’s no navy shirt to put the chance away.
Updated
49 mins: Tunisia have had more luck with their balls into the channel this half and after prospering down the left they make a move down the right, winning a handy second ball. A corner results but after playing it short it comes to nought. Tunisia look more assured, more composed, and more threatening. Australia in response are showing signs of retreating, which is not what they want to be doing.
47 mins: That substitution will see Tunisia switch from a back five to a flat four and shift an extra body into midfield where Australia dominated. The Eagles of Carthage start brightly and earn a corner on the left but Souttar stoops to head clear, only to land awkwardly and require treatment.
Tunisia have made a change at the break with Dräger, who had taken a couple of knocks, and a booking, replaced by Ferjani Sassi.
The players are out for the second half. Can Australia hold on?
2nd - Mitchell Duke 🇦🇺 is the first player who plays in a second division club to score in #Qatar2022 (he belongs to Fagiano Okayama 🇯🇵 from Japanese J2 League). He has scored the 50th goal of this edition. Outsider. 🦘 pic.twitter.com/hdX6S001B9
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 26, 2022
This can’t be good.
I became an Australian citizen recently (so yes, am available for selection from the round of 16). Would too like to see the stuff I got given at the citizenship ceremony? Of course you would. pic.twitter.com/hRpr7iybVn
— David Squires (@squires_david) November 26, 2022
Andy asks: “As someone who is Red Green colourblind I’m wondering why Australia aren’t playing in their home colours. It’s very obvious for me to see the difference and most people, I’m sure, prefer to see the home colours.”
I’m pretty sure the policy is to schedule dark v light as much as possible, and with Tunisia the nominal home side and choosing white, Australia have to accommodate.
Australia’s spearhead really put himself about.
Mitchell Duke’s first half by numbers vs. Tunisia:
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) November 26, 2022
25 touches
6/8 aerial duels won
3/4 ground duels won
2 shots on target
1 goal
Gives Australia the lead at half-time. 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/RAWp0SkBm6
“How Australia miss the crossing ability of Brett Emerton and Marco Bresciano,” emails Dechlan Brennan. It really has been striking how poor the Socceroos have been from set-pieces so far this World Cup considering it’s their clearest route to goal. They have the personnel in Mooy, Goodwin, and others, but they just haven’t delivered. Even the goal, which I didn’t report at the time, came from a very fortunate deflected cross.
Australia were well organised and committed in that half, but there was little of any quality to shout about. Tunisia were very poor, seemingly expecting to turn up, throw their weight around, and capitalise on Australian errors. Jalel Kadri has his work cut out at the break to convince his team to get the ball down and play through the Socceroos.
Half-time: Tunisia 0-1 Australia
The Socceroos head to the break with a deserved lead after a hard fought, physical opening half. It’s not a spectacle of champagne football, but in tournament play it’s not how, it’s how many.
Updated
45 + 3 mins: Tunisia build pressure down the right but Rowles cuts out one cross, and Goodwin the next. Still Tunisia come and from the third crossing attempt Jebali does superbly to whip the ball to the corner of the six-yard box where Mskani rushes onto it but clips his first-time effort just wide of Ryan’s near post.
45 mins: Corner on the right to Australia, Goodwin takes it, an inswinger with his left, but Tunisia head clear and push out quickly enough to force Karacic to hurry the second ball out of play.
44 mins: Finally a decent free-kick delivery for Australia. Deep from Goodwin, swinging in from right to left, and Duke gets his head to the ball first in the area but can’t get much purchase on it. The Socceroos keep the ball alive though, winning challenge after challenge allowing Mooy to spark another attack that Bronn makes a hash of, allowing Karacic the chance to shoot straight at white shirt.
42 mins: Australia clear the resulting corner, then Ryan does brilliantly to leap and claim the second ball from the head of Jebali. He’s probably fortunate to receive a free-kick for his bravery after spilling the ball on crash-landing.
40 mins: When play resumes Australia attack sharply through McGree and Goodwin but Leckie is just unable to latch onto the through-ball. Tunisia go down the other end and fashion their first clear opportunity of the match, but Souttar slides in magnificently to deny Dräger who thought he only had Ryan to beat.
39 mins: A slight delay while Dräger is attended to. Presumably that means 20 minutes of added time.
37 mins: Mooy plays around the corner like Paul Scholes to set up Leckie to turn and run at the Tunisian defence but he’s robbed and Tunisia can counter. With Australia a fraction out of shape Msakni can drive towards the penalty area but his shot is blocked off the boot.
35 mins: Tunisia continue to look out of ideas. They have no confidence playing short passes out of defence and whenever anything longer is attempted Australia’s back four steps up and snuffs out any danger. Someone in a white shirt needs to take the game on.
33 mins: Tunisia are committing repeat fouls, bundling over Australian players all over the park and leaving a foot in here or there on most challenges. From one of these free-kicks the Socceroos earn the first corner of the day on the right, but as is becoming a chronic problem, the delivery is poor and causes no danger despite Irvine’s efforts.
31 mins: Duke and Tunisia substitute Hannibal Mejbri exchange angry words, then a friendly handshake after the Australian wins a free-kick near the dugout.
29 mins: Apart from that one transitional breakaway, Tunisia have offered nothing in attack. Australia are matching them for physicality, winning the majority of second balls and it’s unsettled the Arab Cup finalists. The back four deserves special credit for pushing tight to their direct opponent, denying any easy passes into feet.
27 mins: The goalscorer Duke slides in to make a defensive block and Australia’s bench clears to applaud the endeavour. Australia have the bit between their teeth today.
25 mins: Excellent goal. The first time all night either side have tried to play through the lines and it pays dividends.
Meanwhile, the combative Aïssa Laïdouni is in the book for flattening Goodwin.
GOAL! Tunisia 0-1 Australia (Duke, 23)
This is not especially brave-in-possession modern football. Both teams looking for long diagonal outlets to safeguard territory and minimise risk.
That is until Australia play out from the back, feeding Duke with his back to goal, his delightful touch allows the ball to be sprayed wide to Goodwin and finally a cross finds its target, and it’s that man Duke again to arrive on time to glance a header into the far corner!
Australia bag the opening goal two matches running!
Updated
21 mins: Tunisia finally look to have come to terms with the pace of the game. Australia concede a couple of turnovers inviting their opponents onto them, but Dräger blazes high and wide with time to make a better decision.
19 mins: Tunisia are really struggling with Australia’s mid-block press. Until they slip it with a couple of vertical passes between the lines but Msakni is crowded out inside the box when he looked set to wriggle into a shooting opportunity.
17 mins: Lots of headers, lots of hurried clearances, lots of second balls. It’s all very retro for this state-of-the-art tournament. Lots of players playing like they’re in the shop window for League 1.
15 mins: Behich steps up and plants his knee unnecessarily into the buttocks of Sliti to stymie a possible Australian counterattack. Duke soon picks a Tunisian pocket to set his side back on the front foot but Leckie’s cross is blocked. There are collisions and bodies flying in from all angles. Lots of energy, not heaps of skill.
13 mins: The first cross from the right from Karačić is more dangerous but Australia don’t have a body on the penalty spot to pounce. The Socceroos are bossing this one so far.
12 mins: Mooy finds Behich with a long crossfield pass. His backheel releases Goodwin but another disappointing cross is easy to clear. This has been the pattern early.
11 mins: As against France, Australia are on their game early. Mooy nips in to intercept a move through the lines and the passes link into the final third but there’s no ball into the box. Tunisia have yet to settle and their physicality is not impressing the German referee.
9 mins: Still the play remains on Australia’s attacking left flank but two further crosses fail to trouble the Tunisian defence. From the second of those Ali Abdi has space to gallop into on the counter but he loses control and Australia hack clear. Poor from the Tunisian.
8 mins: Australia have enjoyed a decent couple of minutes and it’s all been down the left with Goodwin, Mooy and Behich linking well. Again though, the cross is easily cleared.
6 mins: As is customary, Aaron Mooy is Australia’s most important player, showing composure in midfield with bodies flying in from all sides. Leckie feeds off the good work and withstands a robust challenge to release Goodwin but his cross is cleared. Mooy is then fouled as the second ball comes out, but his subsequent set-piece is easily headed clear.
This is going to be a tasty physical encounter.
Australia need to improve their free-kicks and corners.
5 mins: Misplaced passes aplenty in the early exchanges with Dräger then Souttar both guilty of coughing up possession in dangerous areas.
3 mins: Most of the match so-far has seen the ball in dispute in midfield with both sides committing to the early physical challenges. It’s all a bit frenetic with the atmosphere from the stands spilling down to pitch level.
Updated
2 mins: Australia kick-off and try to pass the ball around at the back but the noise of whistling and jeering is deafening, and soon the Socceroos give the ball away. Every Tunisian touch is then greeted with a cheer like the Eagles of Carthage are 6-0 up in injury time. Carnival atmosphere.
Kick-off!
Will one of these unheralded sides take a giant step towards the round of 16 and heap pressure on Denmark? Let’s find out…
The teams are out into the Qatari sunshine. The anthems are mumbled. Let’s. Get. Down. To. Business.
Tonight is the third match of the tournament to be held at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, just south of Doha CBD. It’s already hosted France’s 4-1 victory over Australia and Switzerland’s 1-0 win over Cameroon.
Updated
Mathew Leckie and @MatyRyan will both make their eighth World Cup starts for Australia, a new Socceroos record at the Finals.
— Socceroos (@Socceroos) November 26, 2022
Only Mark Bresciano (9 games, 6 starts) and Tim Cahill (9 games, 7 starts) have made more World Cup appearances than Ryan and Leckie (both 7). pic.twitter.com/YCnajz5jei
Tactics: I think the pattern of play will be determined by Arnold’s ambition and how he asses the risk-reward throughout the match. The opening 20 minutes against France demonstrated the potential for a hardworking team performance to control the game with Aaron Mooy pulling the strings from midfield. But will that be enough to force a victory? And is it capable of lasting more than a half of a half in the sweltering conditions?
For my two cents I reckon Australia need to lengthen the pitch, not condense it, and invite an open, transitional end-to-end affair. It would involve relinquishing control of possession but in my opinion maximise Australia’s strengths, namely pace out wide, Mooy’s long-range passing, and a top level shot-stopper in goal.
Expect to win, done done done!
“Evening Jonathan,” greetings Phil Withall. “I’m rather confused and conflicted by Graham Arnold. Obviously he can do a job, you don’t get to manage a side at a world cup by chance, but his ability to confuse is rather baffling.
“There seems to be no consistency in the way he communicates, just a random collection of statements, I wonder if he has the same connection with the players? He always seems to be reactive rather than proactive. Maybe I’m missing something but he doesn’t seem to be the man Australia need at the moment and I don’t see the Socceroos chances of advancing being that strong. Hope I’m wrong.”
I will direct you to this piece of analysis from Emma Kemp.
Why were we so off-kilter when results did not meet our expectations in the present? Was it partly the cognitive dissonance of hearing him repeatedly telling us “we expect to win” even when they did not do so? … Do we forgive that because we know he got them from a self-described “coach whisperer” who tells his clients to study the “subconscious mind”?
The referee tonight is German Daniel Siebert. He took charge of the 2021 Arab Cup final that Tunisia lost to Algeria 0-2 after extra time.
Tunisia may have the upper hand already simply by the selection of kits. The North Africans will run out in their home kit of all-white with red trim, Australia are in their change uniform of dark blue with teal accents.
I tried to find a definitive Guardian link to demonstrate how lighter colours are more cooling in hot environments, but this is the best I could muster.
Our first outing in the new away 👕#Socceroos #GiveIt100 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/W9EsugBP5Z
— Socceroos (@Socceroos) November 26, 2022
Apropos of nothing in particular, Australia doesn’t have an embassy in Tunisia, instead piggybacking on Canada’s diplomatic presence, with the Australian High Commission in Malta on standby.
As Emma Kemp reported, Tunisia’s fans are visible and vocal in Qatar.
😳😳😳
— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) November 26, 2022
Comme face au Danemark, la Tunisie pourra compter sur ses fans aujourd’hui !#beINFWC2022 pic.twitter.com/UkoJEBVbT2
Thanks to Emma Kemp in Doha there is lots of excellent Socceroo-related content to enjoy. Try these on for size.
Clearly they should have gone for this, in full.
Australia’s choice is the ubiquitous Down Under by Men at Work. I just think it’s a shame they didn’t opt for one of theses versions.
This is the song that will be played on the Al Janoub PA system should Tunisia score.
In and around the surfeit of soccer I hope you’ve all had time to enjoy the sounds of the World Cup in Qatar. It has proven a major distraction for me in the past few days thanks to these features.
Graham Arnold has spoken to SBS TV in Australia. He began by answering what he hopes to improve on tonight.
To get rid of the technical mistakes. When you play against top opposition it is a game of millimetres. If you make a small mistake it turns into a big mistake. That is down to the quality of opposition. But overall, we focus more on what we did well. That was obviously the first 30 minutes. We have got to do that for 90.
When you look at it, the first 30 minutes we did exceptionally well. 27, 28, whatever people want to say. But it was not through their good play that opened us up. If you look back at the game, their first real chance that they built up was in the 43rd minute. They put the ball over the crossbar. The other times it was our mistakes. Sloppy mistakes. It is about getting rid of them and we can control that. If we are sitting here today and saying we were completely outplayed, dominated, that is something maybe we cannot fix, but we made some mistakes and we have got to fix it.
He moved onto the mood in the camp after the France defeat?
We had an honest conversation, that is the most important thing. After we got back here, I grabbed the boys straightaway. Of course they were down because we build their belief up so high, we give them the belief that we are going to give this a shot, but the most important thing is honesty. Afterwards, I said, lads, put our hands up, are we better players? It was 100% honest, all the players know. Did you give me everything you have got? 100%, yes. OK, let’s get on with it then.
Then there’s an unexpected detour into Gordon Strachan territory.
The size of the players at the tournament has been something that is surprising. I’m not saying surprising me, but it is probably surprising to a lot of other people. A player of Harry Souttar’s size, we have only got one of them. The other nations have got six or seven. That is just through athleticism. But we have got to make sure that we keep them out of our penalty box more and we can deal with that.
Conditions: The unremitting Middle Eastern sun penetrates the yonic aperture of Al Janoub Stadium casting shadows on the verdant oblong oasis. Hot innit.
It might be winter in Qatar but it’s still 30C just after midday and far from optimal conditions for a high-tempo football match.
Back at a familiar setting.
— Socceroos (@Socceroos) November 26, 2022
🏟️ Al Janoub Stadium#Socceroos #GiveIt100 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/FATqhOeitr
Australia XI
Surprisingly, just the one change to Australia’s starting XI with Fran Karačić replacing Nathaniel Atkinson at right-back. Socceroos supporters will hope playmaker Ajdin Hrustic is fit enough to make a cameo off the bench.
LOCKED IN 🔐
— Socceroos (@Socceroos) November 26, 2022
Our starting side for today's second #FIFAWorldCup fixture at Al Janoub Stadium.
⏰: 9pm AEDT, 1pm Local
📺: SBS, SBS On Demand#Socceroos #GiveIt100 pic.twitter.com/UIVf4w2MGz
Tunisia XI
Just the one change from Jalel Kadri with Naïm Sliti ling up in attack in place of Anis Ben Slimane.
🔴⚪ OFFICIEL :
— Tunisie Football (@tunisiefootball) November 26, 2022
Le 11 de départ de la Tunisie face à l'Australie !
Dahmen - Drager, Talbi, Meriah, Bronn, Abdi - Skhiri, Laïdouni, Sliti - Msakni (c), Jebali.#TUNAUS 🇹🇳🇦🇺 #TeamTunisia #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/IJICn4oG91
Emma Kemp sets the scene for us from Doha, where Tunisian fans are out in force.
Emma’s report also contains some prematch troop-rousing from Arnold, with the Socceroos coach demanding his side is ready for a war.
Anytime an Australian reaches for such a word it is my responsibility to send you here:
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Tunisia v Australia from Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah. Kick-off in this group D clash is 1pm local time (9pm AEDT/10am GMT).
Neutrals, I’m not in the business of hoodwinking anyone, this is not a premium World Cup fixture.
Between them, in their 33 matches on the game’s greatest stage, these nations have won only four times. They each average less than a goal a game. This is the stale grissini at the start of a banquet.
Mow the lawn. Play with your kids. Ring your mum. Knock up a massive batch of ragu and let it blib away on the stove all day so that when France v Denmark and Argentina v Mexico come around you can watch in comfort.
Fans of Australia and Tunisia, THIS IS THE BIG ONE! You may never get a better opportunity on the game’s greatest stage! A win tonight puts you tantalisingly close to the knockout phase! What a time to be alive!?
Tunisia will begin the more optimistic of the pair. The Eagles of Carthage held their own against Denmark a few days ago and arrived in Qatar with recent victories over Iran, Chile, and Japan. They are also one of the best supported sides at the tournament with many locals and neutrals getting behind an Arab contender.
Australia did not enter the World Cup with grand ambitions and those expectations were not revised upwards after a chastening defeat to France. Simply, this is a limited squad, and it showed against such formidable opposition.
But Australia’s World Cup campaign was always going to come down to this contest. If they avoid defeat to a nation ranked only eight places above them on FIFA’s rankings their tournament remains a going concern heading into a do-or-die clash with Denmark. A win today turns that fixture into a belter.
Graham Arnold has told his troops to treat the France defeat like a friendly and consider their group phase a two-match affair. Changes to his starting XI are expected, especially at right fullback, with Nathaniel Atkinson set to be replaced after Kylian Mbappé cremated the Tasmanian’s joie de vivre. “It’s a great lesson for the kid, he’ll move on from it,” deadpanned Arnold afterwards.
There’s bags of time before kick-off so feel free to send me an email, or, if you haven’t yet abandoned the platform as it prepares to let slip the trolls of war, tweet me @JPHowcroft.
