Nestory Irankunda and Conner Metcalfe scored goals and Patrick Beach excelled in goal in a surprise start as Australia notched a 2-0 victory over Turkey in Group D play on Saturday night at Vancouver.
Irankunda scored in the 27th minute and Metcalfe tacked on in the 75th minute as the Socceroos, who rose four spots to 23rd in the FIFA/Coca Cola rankings with the victory, turned in a stellar performance in their World Cup opener.
Beach, 22, made eight saves in his World Cup debut and just his third cap for the Australian national team.
Beach was chosen to start over Mathew Ryan, Australia’s starting goalkeeper in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Ryan, 34, has 104 caps with the national team.
Turkey, which entered the match above Australia in the rankings but fell five spots to 27th, controlled possession for 72% of the match and had a 30-9 edge in shots, including an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal.
Ugurcan Cakir made two saves for Turkey.
The first Australian goal was set up by midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler, another player just promoted to starter.
Okon-Engstler received the ball back in his own end and spotted Irankunda ready to make a run. He delivered a stellar long pass and Irankunda was able to get the ball despite three Turkish players around him.
Irankunda found a sliver of space and sent a right-footed grounder into the left corner of the net.
Three minutes later, Turkey had a major opportunity. Abdulkerim Bardakci took a blistering left-footed shot from beyond the box and Beach was able to get his fingers on the ball and it caromed off the left goal post.
Turkey also had a stellar opportunity in the 57th minute when Arda Guler lined up to take a direct kick. His left-footed blast was sailing toward the bottom-left corner of the net but Beach dove down to his right to knock it away.
Australia made it 2-0 after Turkey’s Ismail Yuksek misplayed the ball in the midfield. It went directly toward Metcalfe, who dribbled in and ripped a left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner.
Beach also made a diving punchaway save on Hakan Calhanoglu’s right-footed free kick in the 85th minute.
Australia faces the United States – the other 1-0-0 Group D team – on Friday in Seattle. Turkey and Paraguay (also 0-1-0) meet Friday in Santa Clara, Calif.
–Field Level Media
