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After an emotional evening for Australia, here’s all the latest reaction to the big win over Tunisia and what’s making headlines at the FIFA World Cup.
After a cagey opening to the Socceroos’ clash with Tunisia it was Mitch Duke who rose to meet a deflected Craig Goodwin cross, giving Australia the lead and ultimately ending their 12-year winless run at World Cups.
Duke was involved early in the move with a slick lay-off, before his classy header past Aymen Dahmen in the Tunisia goal opened the scoring.
With plenty of adrenaline coursing through his body the Socceroos striker ran over to the section of Al Janoub Stadium where his son Jaxson was seated, and made a ‘J’ gesture with his fingers.
Jaxson reciprocated his dad’s gesture as a big grin formed on the youngster’s face. It was another special moment on an extraordinary day for Australian football.
“No words,” an overwhelmed Duke said post-game.
“I’m going to start crying because it’s such a big moment. Such a big moment for my family and my supporters – it is the best feeling in the world, but (I’ll) 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.”
The forward had told those closest to him pre-game that he knew he would score for his country against Tunisia.
“I was actually messaging some of my family saying I was going to score today,” Duke explained.
“And I told my son that I was going to be able to share this moment with him and get that celebration. Though I haven’t seen it yet, apparently he did it back to me from the stadium, which was a very special moment that I am going to treasure for the rest of my life.
“There has been a lot of sacrifice for family. I have been on my own for a lot of the time over the last couple of years, so it hasn’t been easy. But these kind of moments make those sacrifices worth it. My close friends and family know that and it’s just a special thing that they helped me through the darker times so this is for them.”
The win also meant a grant deal for the Croatian-born Milos Degenek, whose family fled the war-torn country when he was just 18 months old.
The defender tweeted his appreciation for the country that “gave him everything” as the football community reflects on one of its brightest-ever days on the world stage.
“(The Tunisia game)… that’s not pressure,” Degenek told reporters prior to the clash.
“Pressure is me as an 18-month-old fleeing a war. Pressure is me a six-year-old being in the middle of a war. That’s pressure.”
Take a look at the scenes in Melbourne as fans gathered at Federation Square witness Duke put their side 1-0 up.
Midfielder Jackson Irvine’s response upon seeing the above clip for the first time: “Jesus christ.”
Duke’s first-half header was enough as Australia claimed their first World Cup triumph since South Africa 2010.
Soon after the goal Duke’s Wikipedia entry was updated to state the striker “regularly fights kangaroos over a BBQ sausage” and is the proud parent of a son named ‘Tunisia’.
There was plenty of reaction across social media, too, with lots of praise heaped on big centre-back Harry Souttar’s way after the Stoke City man’s masterclass in the heart of defence.
Some tweets called for New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet to fast-track a live site in Sydney for Australia’s final group stage match against Denmark on Thursday morning (AEDT), with others petitioning PM Anthony Albanese to declare a national public holiday to commemorate the famous win (and to get the country a day off work).
One man who didn’t lose his mind over the goal was Socceroos ‘keeper Maty Ryan.
Seeing that Ryan was still in his own half watching the celebrations from afar, Graham Arnold beckoned his goalkeeper over, instructing him in no uncertain terms to join the excitement, ostensibly to run the clock down.
Or, perhaps Arnold just wanted his trusted gloveman to experience the moment – Australian goals at World Cups aren’t exactly common, after all – but the manager was certainly fired up.
Following on from John Herdman boldly claiming his side were going to “F Croatia”, newspaper 24 Sata has returned serve by printing a less than flattering image of the Canada coach.
The image, which ran on the front page of the paper, is of a naked Herdman, his modesty only preserved by a Canadian flag with another Maple Leaf covering his face.
“I told (my team) they belong here. And we’re going to go and eff Croatia,” Herdman had said after an emotional 1-0 loss to Belgium in the first match of Canada’s second-ever Cup campaign.
“That’s as simple as it gets.”
The two sides will face off on Monday morning (AEDT) at Khalifa International Stadium, with the Canadians needing to avoid defeat to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
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