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Tony Popovic: Australia Can Compete at World Cup Despite US Loss

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Tony Popovic
Australia falls to US, but Coach Tony Popovic remains optimistic



Australia's coach, Tony Popovic, suffered his first loss in charge after Australia's 2-1 defeat to the United States, but he remains optimistic about the team's prospects for the 2026 World Cup.


“I thought we competed against a very good team, very well, throughout the game...”


Australia's unbeaten streak under Tony Popovic came to an end against the United States, but the Socceroos coach remains optimistic about the team's World Cup prospects. Despite the 2-1 loss to USA, Popovic found positives from the match, particularly given Australia's recent form, which included a seven-match winning streak and 11 unbeaten games since he took over.


The Socceroos had high hopes of extending their winning run against the World Cup co-hosts, taking the lead through Jordan Bos' early goal. However, the Americans proved too strong, with striker Haji Wright scoring twice to secure a 2-1 victory for the world number 16 team.


“I think we showed tonight that we can definitely be competitive at the World Cup,” Popovic told reporters.


“I thought we competed against a very good team, very well, throughout the game.


“We pressed very high early, we had some good opportunities at 1-1.


“We did not get the win but I thought we had a good performance, a better one than what we had against Canada (when) we got the win.”




Australia, currently ranked 25th in the world, has overcome past struggles in scoring since qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The team's attack has been bolstered by young talents Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Toure, who showcased their skills in a friendly match against Canada.


In their recent match, Irankunda and Toure started on the bench, with Irankunda introduced after the hour mark. Despite not starting, Irankunda created a promising opportunity late in the game with a powerful run into the box. Meanwhile, Toure, who has been instrumental in setting up scoring chances, couldn't capitalize on his opportunities.




Irankunda, introduced after the hour mark, made a late surge into the box, showcasing his speed and skill, but ultimately couldn't seal the equalizer for Australia. Coach Tony Popovic noted that the high altitude of the stadium, 5,200 feet above sea level, affected the team's younger players, particularly in terms of endurance.


“You could see they were struggling to breathe and they couldn't repeat the efforts (of) the senior players .... who handled that well,” said Popovic.


“So they showed a glimpse of their quality, but I thought we lost a little bit of momentum when they came on.”







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