Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has conceded his penalty shootout gamble backfired following Australia’s World Cup exit, also taking aim at the officiating during the Round of 32 clash against Egypt.
Australia was eliminated from the World Cup after losing the penalty shootout 4-2 in Arlington on Saturday morning AEST, progressing through to the Round of 16 where they will face reigning champions Argentina.
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It comes after Popovic replaced goalkeeper Patrick Beach, who was enjoying a breakout tournament in goal, with veteran Maty Ryan in the 119th minute, also sending two centre-backs to take spot kicks instead of strikers.
Ryan, making his first appearance in the tournament, didn’t get a hand on any of the four shots, while defenders Harry Soutar and Lucas Herrington missed their penalty attempts.
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Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Popovic emphasised the players should not be blamed for the loss, admitting his plan didn’t go as hoped.
“You always have options to come on in the match and, with a couple of minutes to go, we didn’t lose any players in extra time through injuries, so we still had one sub and we put Maty on,” he explained.
“Okay, it didn’t work, so we can look at many things in the reasons behind it, but, with Maty’s experience … and I think if you look at his record in saving penalties.
“Patrick is new as a goalkeeper, not just in the national team, but even in club football.
“We just felt that Maty’s experience will be the difference.”
Asked about the decision to choose teenager Herrington as the team’s fourth kicker for the shootout, Popovic responded: “I’m sure you’d be saying something else if the young kid scored.
“You’d probably be sitting there saying how wonderful it is that an 18 year old took a penalty and scored.”
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Popovic also criticised the officiating at Dallas Stadium, specifically when no foul was awarded after Socceroos defender Jordy Bos was hacked down by Egypt’s Ramy Rabia in a hefty challenge.
The injured had to be replaced at halftime.
“He’s struggling, so it was a big loss for us,” Popovic said of Bos.
“He had to come off, not a very good challenge. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even a yellow card.
“I think those things keep going against Australia.
“Until we can change that by getting to a certain level in these major competitions, I think, once we’re respected as a nation that belongs with the elite and the very best, some of those things you see will go our way.”
Pressed on the dodgy calls, Popovic added: “Unfortunately, until you achieve certain things, the respect is always less.
“Australia is that country that’s trying to play football and all our opponents that we’ve played so far are elite at football.
“The perception is that way.
“The only way we can change that is by competing with the elite, more often in major tournaments.
“By our performances, that should already take a major step, but we’ll have to keep doing that to gain the necessary respect, whether that’s in this room, whether that’s people in general, whether that’s officials, whether that’s opponents.
“It could be a range of different areas, and we’re on a path to achieving that and knowing that we will have to earn that.”
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Despite the disappointing outcome, Popovic predicted a bright future for Australia’s young team, who escaped a challenging group last month with victory over Turkiye and a clean sheet against Paraguay.
“At this moment, right now, everything’s a little bit tough to take, but I’m sure every Australian is proud of the group and what they did throughout the tournament and, tonight, the effort they put in,” he said.
“I’m sure their families and friends and every Australian back home that’s watched, will be very proud tonight.”
He continued: “We want this to inspire us to do better, and hopefully we can take a step forward again in the Asian Cup, which is coming up for us in January.
“And then, in four years’ time, let’s have bigger targets, bigger expectations. But we also know that being at a World Cup is not easy to firstly arrive, to qualify.
“If you look at all the nations that don’t progress, and all the big nations that haven’t had success over a big period of time, we can’t take this for granted, what we’ve achieved, and we need it to keep growing.
“Hopefully, if we get to this point again in four years time, we can take that next step and progress.”