The Australian men's national soccer team will face Paraguay in their final 2026 World Cup Group D match on Thursday at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
A win or a draw guarantees advancement to the round of 32.
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A single point ensures the Socceroos progress, while data agency Opta projects a 91.78% to 93% probability of qualification even with a non-heavy defeat due to favorable third-place outcomes.
Popovic Focused on Victory
Australia head coach Tony Popovic emphasized the team's singular focus on securing a victory rather than relying on mathematical permutations.
"It's a wonderful challenge, it's what we're here for," said Popovic.
Popovic noted that the squad remains confident despite a previous setback against the United States.
"We know it's in our hands, and we know what a win does for us tomorrow," said Popovic.
The coach addressed the technical challenges of tournament football following their mixed performances in the opening rounds. "Overall, we've had three very good halves of football.
We had one bad half of football and we got punished for that," said Popovic.
Popovic reiterated that small details dictate outcomes at the highest level of international soccer. "That's the World Cup, and that's the detail of the World Cup," said Popovic.
The manager dismissed tactical speculation regarding the importance of certain wingback positions. "Look, we haven't thought about the game in that way at all," said Popovic.
