Socceroos hold final training as they look to bounce back against Tunisia
Australia and Tunisia are going head to head in a crucial Group D match at the Qatar World Cup.
Both sides are looking for their first win of the tournament at the Al Janoub Stadium, after Tunisia shared a goalless draw with Denmark in their opening match, while Australia were well beaten by the reigning champions France. Any victory here will give the winners a real shot at progressing to the knockout rounds, with France and Denmark meeting later today, in which these two sides will be hoping France can inflict maximum damage in order to open up second spot in the group.
Tunisia and Australia have met only twice before: the Australians won a friendly in 1997, and Tunisia won their only competitive meeting at the 2005 Confederations Cup.
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Second half: Tunisia 0-1 Australia
Kick off: Australia face a tricky 45 minutes as they look to try and hold on to their lead. Ferjani Sassi has replaced Mohamed Drager for Tunisia during the break in the only change in the teams.
The African side get the match back underway.
Americans are falling in love with football and we should all be worried
Watching Americans fall in love with football is like watching the fires of Mount Doom light up the dark sky over Mordor. Here in this New York bar, described by several online listicles as “the best soccer venue in the city”, I am Gandalf gazing at a pulsating orange glow in the distance with foreboding – a silent witness to the rise of a power that, once unleashed, will be almost impossible to stop.
It’s no secret that the United States is a country that takes sports very seriously, but it’s hard to describe to people who don’t live here just how deeply engrained it is in the culture. From a very early age, through high school and college, Americans are raised on a diet of several at once. Their sporting prowess isn’t immediately obvious to us from the outside because they are mostly content to play games that no one else does. But football, the most popular sport in the world, has been winning American hearts and minds at a rapid pace over the last decade.
As I watched England take on the US in the group stage of the World Cup, surrounded by American football fans, I was given pause to wonder: What happens when this nation of sporting fanatics finally starts taking this sport seriously?
Richard Hall watches the England-USA draw at a New York bar and is worried by what he sees
Half-time: Tunisia 0-1 Australia
45+5 mins: The whistle goes to signal half-time and Australia head into the break with a crucial yet slender lead. Mitchell Duke’s header sent them in front after some solid work from Craig Goodwin on the wing.
Tunisia fought back towards the end of the half and looked dangerous in Australia’s final third. This game is far from done and Australia will have to work hard to maintain their lead in the second half.
Tunisia 0-1 Australia
45+2 mins: Tunisia are pushing up the pitch and are having a good spell of possession before the end of the half. They work the ball down the right and flick it over to Jebali who spins into the box and pulls the ball back to the Msakni.
The striker hits his right-footed chance with his first touch and slides it narrowly wide of the near post!
Tunisia 0-1 Australia
45 mins: Five minutes of added time to go before the end of the first half.
Tunisia 0-1 Australia
44 mins: Almost! Australia win another free kick with this one coming just inside Tunisia’s half of the pitch. Craig Goodwin floats another decent ball into the middle and Mitchell Duke gets his head to it again.
His connection isn’t great this time and he nods it straight to Aymen Dahmen in goal.
Tunisia 0-1 Australia
41 mins: Chance! It should be 1-1!
Tunisia throw the ball down the left side and get it up to Issam Jebali. His strength allows him to take the ball into the penalty area before a cutback comes to Youssef Msakni.
Msakni is closed down quickly but not before he lays the ball off to Mohamed Drager. Drager runs onto a first time shot but Harry Soutter leaps in front of the ball and makes a brilliant block to deny Tunisia an equaliser.
Tunisia 0-1 Australia
38 mins: Drager challenges Goodwin for an aerial ball and is clipped in the face by the Australian’s trailing leg. Tunisia come away with the ball though and Youssef Msakni drives up the pitch.
He carries it into the area and has a shot but Aziz Behich is well positioned to block the effort.
Tunisia 0-1 Australia
35 mins: Goodwin miscues his delivery as he sends the corner into the box. The ball dips behind the first defender and Jackson Irvine meets it with a backheel that finishes wide of the near post.
Decent improvisation from the Australian midfielder but it comes to nought.
