The Socceroos are into the Round of 32, which is awesome, terrifying and deeply inconvenient for anyone who enjoys sleeping at normal hours Down Under. Australia take on Egypt at Dallas Stadium with a place in the last 16 up for grabs and, for the first time in this tournament, there is no ladder, no group maths and no “actually, a draw might be enough” nonsense to hide behind.
It is win or go home.
Australia vs Egypt, Round of 32
Friday, July 3, Dallas Stadium, 1pm local time
Australia Preview Content: Team News Predicted Starting XI
So how does Tony Popovic line up for the biggest game of his reign in charge of the Socceroos?
In goal, Patrick Beach keeps the gloves. It still feels slightly strange given Mat Ryan’s standing in Australian football, but Beach has done enough to hold his spot.
Changing keeper now would feel like drama for drama’s sake, and there is already plenty of that available in the World Cup knockout phase.
The loss of Mathew Leckie and Jacob Italiano to injury hurts, but it is not terminal to the Socceroos’ chances.
Jordan Bos should stay on the right after his strong showing there against Paraguay, with Aziz Behich coming in on the left. That gives Australia experience on one side and electricity on the other, which feels like a pretty handy combination when Mohamed Salah may or may not be lurking somewhere nearby.
The back three pick themselves in Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar and Cam Burgess.
Souttar is the obvious centrepiece, partly because he is Australia’s best aerial defender and partly because he looks like he was built in a lab to head away World Cup crosses for a living.
In midfield, Jackson Irvine starts because of course he does. This is exactly his sort of game: tense, awkward, physical and probably a little ugly.
Next to him, I would go with Paul Okon-Engstler. Connor Metcalfe and Aiden O’Neill both have fair claims, but Okon-Engstler gives Australia legs, pressing and enough attacking threat to stop the midfield becoming too defensively minded.
Further forward, Nestory Irankunda has to start.
No saving him for later like the good cutlery.
Australia need his pace and directness from the opening whistle, not from the 68th minute when everyone is already emotionally ruined. Cristian Volpato should get the other attacking role, because this side needs craft, arrogance and someone willing to try the pass everyone else pretends not to see.
Through the middle, Mohamed Toure has to start. He can stretch Egypt’s back line, occupy defenders and create the space Australia badly need if they are going to turn all that honest toil into something a little more useful, like goals.
There are safer teams Popovic could pick. There are more conservative teams. There are teams designed almost entirely around keeping the game alive for as long as possible.
But this is a World Cup knockout game. At some stage, Australia have to stop politely surviving and start trying to win the thing.
Predicted Socceroos XI vs Egypt
Patrick Beach, Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar, Cam Burgess, Jordan Bos, Jackson Irvine, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aziz Behich, Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato, Mohamed Toure.