Socceroos quick hits: Irankunda’s stunning strike and Beach’s brilliance

Nestory Irankunda scored a goal for the ages and then celebrated like Tim Cahill, while Patrick Beach’s palm proved enormous. 

Here are the five quick hits from the Socceroos vs Türkiye.

1. Selection shocks

There is always a lot riding on the opening team selection of a World Cup.

Level heads are required. Experience, prized.

So eyes widened immediately when 22-year-old Melbourne City keeper Patrick Beach was given the nod over 104-cap squad captain, Mat Ryan.

It’s not the first time Ryan has been dropped by coach Tony Popovic. His first three Socceroos teams had Joe Gauci between the sticks.

“I just wanted to play Patrick,” Popovic said pre-game.

“The decision’s to play Patrick and that’s the one we should be focusing on.”

That wasn’t the only selection gamble. Vice-captain Jackson Irvine was also dropped as Popovic selected a youthful team including 21-year-old Paul Okon-Engstler and 20-year-old Nestory Irankunda.

“It’s a youthful line up, a lot of excitement, a lot of exuberance,” Popovic said.

“I have a lot of trust in these young players and I’m looking forward to seeing them perform today.”

Socceroos fans everywhere crossed their fingers and hoped he was right.

2. Young guns combine for opener

That selection gamble paid off almost immediately after the mid-half drinks break.

A fine save by Beach from an Arda Guler shot was played out, eventually to the feet of Okon-Engstler.

His superb ball forward was latched onto by Irankunda, who cut back inside and fired in low to open the scoring.

Socceroos fans in BC Place and at packed FanZones around the country all exploded in communal delight, no doubt nudging their friends after the euphoria subsided to tell them that Popovic is clearly a tactical genius.

3. Beach lays it out to preserve lead

Having taken the lead, all the onus was on the Socceroos to keep it — and thanks to Beach, they did.

Abdülkerim Bardakcı got the ball just outside the area and launched a fearsome drive towards goal that was clocked by FIFA as going at 109km/h.

For all money it looked like the Galatasaray centre-back was going to wheel away, celebrating a superb equaliser.

However, Beach had other ideas, the 21-year-old stopper diving at full stretch to tip the ball onto his post.

It was a tremendous save and once more vindicated Popovic’s faith in the A-League stopper, faith he continued to justify with a series of seven superb saves across the match. 

4. Nestory channels Tim Cahill

Nestory Irankunda took his goal with all the poise of a veteran, the 20-year-old sliding the ball inside Uğurcan Çakır’s near post before sliding on his knees toward the corner.

But his next move channelled Australia’s greatest World Cup goalscorer by racing to the corner flag and boxing it as his teammates rushed to be by his side.

Tim Cahill scored five World Cup goals for the Socceroos, scoring in three different World Cup tournaments, every time assaulting the corner flag with more ferocity.

No doubt he would have been proud of scoring a goal as good as Irankuda’s solo effort.

5. Counter attacking Connor’s sensational sealer

Since going behind Türkiye pressed and pressed, laying siege to the Socceroos’ penalty area.

Türkiye had managed 24 shots, five of them on target as the Socceroos sat deeper and deeper and deeper.

In other words, exactly where they wanted to be.

A goal kick from Beach was contested in midfield, before falling nicely for Alessandro Circati.

Circati looked up and passed the ball wide, but a deflection took it into the orbit of Connor Metcalfe.

That was all the St. Pauli midfielder needed to turn and race towards goal, edging towards the centre of the pitch with three caresses of his left foot.

The fourth was far more violent, a powerful low drive that curled through a maze of Türkiye defenders’ legs and past Uğurcan Çakır to score.

dan