Australia would put their bodies on the line to stop Lionel Messi and spring a surprise against Argentina in the FIFA World Cup last 16, tough-tackling Milos Degenek said yesterday.
The defender, who made his World Cup debut in Australia’s 1-0 group win over Denmark on Wednesday, said Messi is his hero, but all sentiments would be thrown aside when they meet early on Sunday morning Taiwan time.
“You know I have always loved Messi, I think he is the greatest to have played the game,” the 28-year-old said.
Photo: Reuters
However, “it’s not an honor to play against him, because he is just a human, as we all are,” he added.
“It is an honor to be in the round of 16 of a World Cup,” he said. “That is the honor in itself.”
Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan has kept two clean sheets in a row in successive 1-0 victories to take the Socceroos into the knockouts for only the second time in their history.
Photo: AP
They are heavy underdogs against Argentina, but Degenek was determined.
“We have to believe and we have to be confident in our abilities to stop every attack,” he said.
Australia reached the knockout rounds after a roller-coaster ride in the final two Group D games on Wednesday.
Photo: Reuters
In the 58th minute as all four teams were playing, Australia assistant coach Rene Meulensteen received word in the dugout at al-Janoub Stadium that Tunisia had scored at the Education City Stadium, with Wahbi Khazri putting them 1-0 up against a second-string France team.
That meant Australia, who were still 0-0 with Denmark, had to win to advance as runners-up in the group.
France were predicted to beat Tunisia with ease, a scenario that would have only required Graham Arnold’s side to draw with Denmark, but Didier Deschamps, in the knowledge his title holders had already qualified, had rested almost his entire first-choice starting 11.
Photo: AFP
Arnold was on his feet in Australia’s technical area when Meulensteen was informed about Khazri’s goal. He might have had to break the news to Arnold, except that he did not have time.
“It was just a quiet word from [fellow assistant coach] Tony Vidmar in my ear — no more information, no reason to jump at it and panic,” Meulensteen said afterward. “The great thing was it happened, and then a minute later, we scored.”
Two minutes after Tunisia put the pressure on, Mitchell Duke had started a counterattack, finding Riley McGree, who anticipated Mathew Leckie’s run from halfway.
The latter then raced off on his own, twisting Joakim Maehle to his will before veering left and sending his finish across the front of Kasper Schmeichel’s goal and inside the far post.
In his post-match news conference, Arnold said he did not know that Tunisia had beaten France 1-0 until after the final whistle.
“I would have been absolutely devastated if we had got a draw and it didn’t pan out the way it did,” he said.
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