Nishan Velupillay became the first Indian-origin player in FIFA World Cup 2026 as Australia defeated Turkiye 2-0. Image Credit: AFP
Australia vs Turkiye: Thanks to goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe as well as a strong defense, Australia defeated Turkey 2-0 in their Group D opening on Saturday, spoiling Turkey’s 24-year comeback to the World Cup stage. The Socceroos stole a victory that few would have imagined as waves of Turkish attacks were thwarted by the well-honed green and gold defense, while the Australians created little but took their chances brilliantly.
Back at the FIFA World Cup for the first time since coming third in 2002, Turkey turned to 21-year-old playmaker Arda Guler to shoulder the creative burden for their side, and he got his first shot away in the seventh minute. That effort flew harmlessly over but the Australians heeded the warning and kept him shackled until the 27th minute when he fired a volley on target that was saved by Patrick Beach. Australia took the lead on their next attack when the pacy Irankunda chased a ball from Paul Okon-Engstler down the left channel before cutting inside and slotting past Ugurcan Cakir to open the scoring.
Abdulkerim Bardakci almost levelled three minutes later, chesting the ball down and unleashing a swerving shot off the outside of his left boot, but Beach pulled off a superb fingertip save to turn the ball onto the post. Australia got to the break with their one-goal lead intact, and the pattern of the game started to settle with Turkey dominating possession and the Socceroos backing off. Guler was at the heart of most Turkey attacks but was confronted by banks of Australians behind the ball as they conceded space on the flanks to pack the middle of the pitch.
With Turkey throwing everything at the Australian defence in a futile attempt to find the equalizer, they were stunned once again when Metcalfe picked up a loose ball and tried his luck from distance, his bouncing shot finding the net in the 75th minute. The result puts Australia second in the group behind the United States after the co-hosts’ 4-1 win over Paraguay on Friday. The top two meet next on June 19 in Seattle.
Indian-origin footballer Nishan Velupillay on Sunday, June 14, realized his long-held dream of FIFA World Cup debut as Australia played a masterstroke against Turkey 2-0. Nishan who has an Anglo-Indian mother, Gillian Velupillay, looked very strong in defense after being introduced in the 61st minute to help Australia maintain a 2-0 lead against a tough Turkiye. Even though he is considered one of the best young prospects for Australia, 25-year-old Nishan did not get an opportunity to show much of his attacking skills on Sunday.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
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