That is all we have for tonight following the Socceroos 2-0 win over Turkey.
But we will have much more Socceroos and World Cup coverage in the days to come, so please keep visiting our websites and sports pages.
Thanks so much for joining us today and please have a lovely evening.
Below is a video of fan reaction following today’s game.
A fan who supported both Turkey and Australia still believes the former can find a way to make it through to the knockout stages despite losing today’s game.
Under the expanded format of this year’s World Cup, the best-performing third-place sides can progress to the knockouts along with the top two teams from each group.
“It would have been good to see a draw — you want both Turkey and Australia to go to the knockout games,” the fan of both nations said.
“And there’s two more games, so we’ll see how we go. It’s not yet over.”
We will be closing our blog soon but there will be much more Socceroos coverage to come tonight and in the days to come.
Emma Kemp will have a breakdown of this special win over Turkey coming later tonight, so keep an eye out for it.
They say he who laughs last laughs hardest and Australian fans are laughing hard following today’s win over Turkey.
One take that has particularly incensed Socceroos fans online is commentary from former USA youth international turned commentator Michael Grella who was unimpressed with Socceroos goal-scorer Nestory Irankunda heading into the World Cup.
Grella, despite having covered Irankunda’s games for Watford in the English Championship, still made it clear he wasn’t impressed by the young Aussie.
“Irankunda? With all respect because I don’t like to talk bad about players and I’m actually a fan of Irankunda and we cover the Championship here at CBS, but Irankunda?” Grella said making a prayer gesture with his hands.
I had an interesting moment post game with the Turkish captain Hakan Calhanoglou — the guy who said they were “more talented” with the Socceroos and that they would dominate the game.
I brought up those comments and asked him what went wrong for Turkey, and if he was surprised by Australia’s performance and talent.
“We didn’t dominate?” he asked me, seemingly thinking that I had said that Australia dominated.
I said I thought Turkey did dominate possession, but not necessarily the game. He disagreed.
An elated Nestory Irankunda spoke to SBS post match following the Socceroos 2-0 win over Turkey.
On the win:
“It’s effing unreal, like it’s a dream come true, you know. We’ve got the win now. We worked extra hard, we fought until the end, and it’s just an exciting moment.”
On his background as a refugee who has become the Socceroos youngest goal scorer at a World Cup:
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has just arrived at the post-match conference where the first question is about his bold team selections for this game, including the decision to drop goalkeeper and captain Mat Ryan and his deputy Jackson Irvine.
“They were maybe shocks for a lot of people, but not shocks within our main group or staff, because we’re all working together every day,” he says.
He’s praised the team’s outstanding defensive display, saying the team was desperate around its own 18-yard box, but kept its focus and discipline for the full 90 minutes while also scoring “two nice goals”.
But he’s not totally convinced that Australia’s performance will stop the detractors.
“When I saw that ball go in, the feeling that went through my body – I can’t explain it,” Australia’s second goalscorer tells SBS. “For it to be my first World Cup, my first game – and to score – it couldn’t have gone any better.
“Honestly, I wasn’t even really thinking. I just took the ball, I didn’t even look at anyone else, I just looked up and seen the goal and I just shot. and luckily it was perfect placement.
“I’m so proud of all the boys. Honestly, the shift we’ve just put in, we deserve it. It was unbelievable. Everyone was switched on for 90 minutes, and when the subs came on they did their job.”
After an impressive 2-0 win to start their World Cup campaign, it was difficult to find fault with any of the Socceroos players.
Here’s how we rated Australia’s men in yellow (and one in black):
18. Patrick Beach (goalkeeper)
It was a shock call to start Beach ahead of Maty Ryan, but the young Melbourne City stopper held his own. Dived full stretch to deny Abdulkerim a goal-of-the-tournament contender. Repeatedly denied Guler’s low, bouncing free kicks. Proved his coach right, starred under the bright lights. 9/10
4. Jacob Italiano (right wing-back)
The Turkish attack was almost permanently based on his wing and he stood up to everything they had to offer. Juventus star Yildiz asked big questions but couldn’t break him down. 9/10