It’s hard to pick highlights from what just might be Australia’s finest hour at the World Cup, but let’s give it a crack anyway.
The Socceroos are into the last 16 for just the second time after a stirring 1-0 win over a Danish side ranked in the world’s top 10. Here’s how we saw Thursday morning’s match.
Maty Ryan: 8.5/10
Captain fantastic. A strong presence in the heart of defence who was once again there whenever Australia needed him, coming out confidently to collect high balls and producing solid saves. In the end, he only had to make three of them. None were particularly difficult, which goes to the strength of the defence in front of him in denying Denmark high-quality opportunities.
Milos Degenek: 8
A colossus on the right side of defence, coming in for his touring roommate Fran Karacic. Threw his body on the line in the first half to block what was probably Denmark’s best chance of the match from Jesper Lindstrom. They targeted him with diagonals, he dealt with them. ‘Lion mentality’ personified.
Harry Souttar: 8.5
Is there anything more to say about this guy? No outfield player on the ground who completed the 90 minutes had fewer touches, but he made every single one count. Made nine clearances, two interceptions and a block. The everywhere man for the Socceroos at the back, the two-metre problem solver.
Kye Rowles: 8
His combination with Souttar just keeps getting better and better. Reads the game so well and one of the calmest on the ball of the whole team. Copped a shot straight to his gut which left him winded, but shook it off and kept marching on.
Harry Souttar was once again imperious at the back for Australia.Credit:Getty
Aziz Behich: 8
Copped a harsh yellow card just minutes into the match and it seemed to rattle him, but kept his head and recovered well. Was run ragged in the first half by Andreas Skov Olsen but got through it and was cool, calm and collected thereafter.
Aaron Mooy: 8
Struggled through the first part of the Danish ascendancy but from about the 30-minute mark onwards was back to his metronomic best. So much was made of Christian Eriksen in the build-up to this match — Mooy had him completely covered.
Jackson Irvine: 8
Looked completely gassed early in the second half but was moved further forward and kept finding energy to run out the full 90 minutes. Unbeaten in the air, most of his passes found their destination, manic in the defensive phases.
Riley McGree: 9
Easily his best match in a Socceroos shirt. Gave everything he had for 74 minutes, pitched in occasionally in defence, unleashed Leckie’s run for the goal with a brilliantly weighted pass, and adapted well to a positional shift in the second half that saw him moved out wide.
Mathew Leckie was the hero in Qatar.Credit:AP
Mathew Leckie: 9.5
A simply legendary performance. Had so much to do when McGree played him in for his goal, but his weaving run and perfect finish will give Tim Cahill’s volley in 2014 a nudge as the best scored by Australia at the World Cup. Relentless defensively, and in attack, an aerial menace. About time the Aussie public gave him his flowers.
Mitch Duke: 7
A quieter night compared to his day out against Tunisia but it’s the stuff that isn’t obvious — the pressing, the running, the space-making for teammates — that makes him so effective.
Craig Goodwin: 6.5
Had a tough 45 minutes, obviously drained by his cracking tournament to date. Yanked at the break, and will hopefully be fresher as a result for the round of 16.
Substitutes
Keanu Baccus: 8.5
Came on at half-time for Goodwin, slotted into the centre of midfield next to Mooy, and came of age. Made no mistakes, and helped relieve pressure with a couple of jinking runs that brought back memories of his best football for the Western Sydney Wanderers. Another one bound for bigger things.
Keanu Baccus.Credit:Getty
Bailey Wright: 7
Summoned for the last 15 minutes as part of a back five, and didn’t put a foot wrong as the Danes resorted to long balls, crosses and duels in a desperate search for a way back into the game.
Jamie Maclaren, Ajdin Hrustic: N/A
Only on the pitch for eight minutes and one minute respectively, plus added time.
