Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSOCCEROOS WEATHER EARLY PRESSURE AND RESPOND IN SUPERB FASHION<\/b><\/p>\n
Brazil started the game like a side looking to launch an emphatic response to the wave of criticism that hit them following their 1-1 draw with the Socceroos in Townsville on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The five-time World Cup winners scored in just the third minute of the match through Vanderson.<\/p>\n
The fullback\u2019s goal was the earliest Australia had conceded under Popovic and Brazil almost doubled its advantage just a minute later.<\/p>\n
It looked ominous for the Socceroos at that point, but the Aussies showed the steel that underpinned their stunning performance in north Queensland wasn\u2019t a one-off.<\/p>\n
Alessandro Circati and Connor Metcalfe put the hosts 2-1 up in a dominant five-minute spell either side of the half-hour mark.<\/p>\n
\u201cWonderful goal,\u201d was all Popovic would offer on Metcalfe\u2019s moment of magic where he rocketed a left-foot-shot into the back of the net from outside the box.<\/p>\n
The goals came after the Socceroos had created several openings and looked far more assured with and without the ball.<\/p>\n
Harry Souttar\u2019s foul on Danilo allowed Raphinha to equalise from the spot right before the break, but the maturity of the momentum swing Australia was able to execute showed how much this side has grown.<\/p>\n
They didn\u2019t wait, soak up pressure and counter their way back into the contest.<\/p>\n
Instead, it was boldness and bravery with the ball on show.<\/p>\n
Popovic has seen this group grow \u201cphysically\u201d and \u201cmentally\u201d since he last laid eyes on them in North America.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe confidence from playing at the highest level,\u201d he says when asked why it has happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey saw that they can compete with other top nations at the World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of them have moved on to other clubs and you can see that they\u2019re improving, they\u2019re getting better.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need more players to hopefully get that experience because you can see the difference between the ones that are playing regularly and the ones that aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought overall they were really good, and today we went behind very early \u2013 and you are playing Brazil \u2013 and we really responded in a fantastic manner, really, really pleased with how we played in the first half.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always those little moments and details and, you know, up until they scored the third goal I thought we were very much in the match and could\u2019ve had a goal ourselves before they scored.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 29: Nestory Irankunda of Australia runs with the ball during the international friendly match between Australia Socceroos and Brazil at Suncorp Stadium on September 29, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSOCCEROOS NEW STYLE OF PLAY BREEDS CONFIDENCE<\/b><\/p>\n
The Socceroos were told to embody those two qualities, boldness and bravery in possession, prior to the start of the series and again before game two.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s one thing to ask for it and another altogether to execute it against a side like Brazil in front of two huge crowds.<\/p>\n
The players get a significant pass mark on this front.<\/p>\n
The side was often criticised for looking sloppy and frantic with the ball at times on the road to the last World Cup, but if what we\u2019ve seen over the last 180-plus minutes from Popovic\u2019s side is the new normal, then the future is bright.<\/p>\n
It remains to be seen whether this new-found confidence in possession can be produced under tournament conditions at the Asian Cup in January when the stakes are a little higher, but this was proof of concept against a Brazilian side taking these games very seriously.<\/p>\n
JACKSON IRVINE UNLUCKY NOT TO HAVE A PENALTY, AND CALL PROVES COSTLY<\/b><\/p>\n
Irvine thought he\u2019d done enough to earn a penalty in the 64th minute after another tireless run into the box.<\/p>\n
The midfielder got the first touch and was then taken out by Andrey Santos.<\/p>\n
It was extremely unlucky not to be given.<\/p>\n
The resulting spot kick would\u2019ve given the Socceroos a chance of taking a 3-2 lead.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 29: Jackson Irvine of Australia competes for the ball during the International Friendly match between Australia Socceroos and Brazil at Suncorp Stadium on September 29, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nInstead, Brazil scored soon after following a free-flowing seven-pass move that took the Selecao from just outside their own box to Australia\u2019s in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\n
Bruno Guimaraes poked it home from six yards out.<\/p>\n
Nestory Irankunda\u2019s foul on Vinicius Jnr allowed the Real Madrid winger to make it 4-2 from the spot in the 80th minute.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could still see – the last twenty minutes – we looked very fatigued, but you see their players, with what comes on and where they play, and their big players can still make big actions late in matches,\u201d Popovic said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said it at the World Cup. When we are winning games between the 80th and 90th minute with the players that started the match, that will be a really big step for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working towards that.\u201d<\/p>\n
WHAT FRIENDLY? TENSIONS SPILL OVER JUST AFTER THE HOUR MARK<\/b><\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t quite a push-and-shove as much as it was a bunch of frustrated players coming together in front of the benches.<\/p>\n
Tension was already high before a challenge that saw Harry Souttar just get to the ball before Endrick, who slid through the Socceroos captain.<\/p>\n
Endrick chased after his much taller opponent as well to show his displeasure and things boiled over from there.<\/p>\n
The moment seemed to fire up Brazil who went from 2-2 to 4-2 up in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>A fight breaks out between Aziz Behich of Australia and Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa Pessoa of Brazil (not pictured) during the international friendly match between Australia Socceroos and Brazil at Suncorp Stadium on September 29, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHOW DID THE SAME STARTING XI RESPOND?<\/b><\/p>\n
Popovic named an unchanged starting side from the 1-1 draw in Townsville on Friday night. The coach said prior to the game in Brisbane that he was looking forward to seeing not only how the players who started in Townsville backed up, but whether they could at all.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t a given.<\/p>\n
As part of his World Cup debrief, Popovic revealed he could\u2019ve made more changes to his side for the second group-stage clash against the USA which they lost 2-0 in Seattle, because of the fatigue – both physical and mental – accumulated by the players during the first up win over Turkey in Canada days earlier.<\/p>\n
The meeting with the USA was the game where the coach was criticised for benching Irankunda and Metcalfe who had both scored in Vancouver.<\/p>\n
Brisbane was a test of character and resilience for those given the opportunity in Townsville.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to test the group on playing again four days later and that was deliberate, to keep the same squad,\u201d Popovic said of not making changes to his starting side from Townsville to Brisbane.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to see how they could handle that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 29: Tony Popovic, Head Coach of Australia, encourages his players during the international friendly match between Australia Socceroos and Brazil at Suncorp Stadium on September 29, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nInitially, it looked like the same malaise that was apparent on that hot summer\u2019s day in Seattle had cropped up again in the opening minutes of the contest at Suncorp Stadium, but the Socceroos quickly got a foothold in the contest.<\/p>\n
Popovic and his coaching staff have revealed the amount of growth they\u2019ve seen in the players in the first camp since the World Cup has been substantial, particularly among the group that secured moves to bigger clubs.<\/p>\n
There was no greater evidence of this than the mere minutes it took the Socceroos to arrest Brazil\u2019s early runaway momentum. In Seattle against the USA in June, that task needed most of the first half to complete.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe weren\u2019t ready for that at the World Cup, nowhere near, but now there\u2019s a growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/amp-ima-video><\/p>\nSocceroos seconds away from HUGE UPSET | 02:59<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nTHE FANS HAVE RE-ENGAGED WITH THE SOCCEROOS<\/b><\/p>\n
Prior to the World Cup, Football Australia knew they needed to get supporters re-engaged with the narrative of the Socceroos.<\/p>\n
The global showpiece was an easy re-entry point, but would fans stick around for the four-year cycle in between and follow the fortunes of the players weekly? That type of loyalty is hard to win.<\/p>\n
It seems like there\u2019s been some breakthrough on that front.<\/p>\n
Not only were both matches in Townsville and Brisbane sold-out (and yes, Brazil is an easier sell than most opponents) but almost 10,000 people showed up to Australia\u2019s open training sessions across the two cities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fans, in general, I think \u2013 I\u2019d say 90 per cent of fans \u2013 probably felt that way during the World Cup and after the World Cup, and a lot of the people here in Queensland saw the performance in Townsville – they see that we have stars of the future, great young talent and they wanted to come and support them the day before the game,\u201d said Popovic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it was quite special. A lot of the young boys looked even nervous in that training session, to be honest because they haven\u2019t experienced something like that<\/p>\n
before.\u201d<\/p>\n
The crowd of 52,423 at Suncorp Stadium broke the record for a Queensland football match, beating the 51,153 that rocked up to the 2014 A-League Grand Final between the Brisbane Roar and Western Sydney Wanderers.<\/p>\n
It also set a new mark for a Socceroos game in Queensland passing the 48,678 who watched the 2008 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Iraq.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 29: Alessandro Circati of Australia celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the international friendly match between Australia Socceroos and Brazil at Suncorp Stadium on September 29, 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWHAT\u2019S NEXT FOR THE SOCCEROOS AND WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE THEM BEFORE THE ASIAN CUP?<\/b><\/p>\n
The Socceroos will be back in action against Qatar and Jordan in the next international window in November.<\/p>\n
Against Brazil, Popovic largely put his faith in the players who featured at the World Cup and then added Marcus Younis to the mix.<\/p>\n
Dylan Leonard, Yaya Dukuly, Jacob Chapman, Kasey Bos, Kealey Adamson and Eli Adams were among the new or relatively new faces who didn\u2019t see any minutes.<\/p>\n
How many did enough in training to earn recalls for the camp in the Middle East will be intriguing.<\/p>\n
It\u2019ll be one of the last chances to impress the national team coaching staff before the start of the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January where squad depth could prove pivotal in determining the Socceroos chances of securing the regional crown for a second time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to see if some players can get some minutes between then,\u201d Popovic said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere might be some new players that get an opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not closing the door on anyone and hopefully we have a very fit and strong squad available for the Asian Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a strange twist of fate, a draw and a loss against Brazil have shown the Socceroos are perfectly placed for a tilt at a second Asian Cup title in January. Australia might have lost the second showdown against the South American giants 4-2 in Brisbane, but the match showed more was right within the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":265128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[156],"class_list":{"0":"post-265127","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}