Key events
A beaming Tony Popovic has said a few words:
Unbelievable. Just so proud of everyone involved. It’s a wonderful young group of men. We’ll now go to Dallas and try and do something special.
Overall we deserved it. We were veery good today.
And the Australian coach had a message to Socceroos supporters ahead of the round of 32.
Get up early please. thanks for the support. Trust me it’s greatly appreciated and we can’t thank you enough.
For the time being Scotland are clinging on to a spot in the round of 32, but their hopes don’t look great now that they fallen behind both Sweden and Paraguay in the pecking order.
In the other match in Group D Turkey scored with almost the final kick in a battle of the B teams to ensure they don’t leave the World Cup empty handed and take some of the wind from the sails of the USA.
Popovic and his players are celebrating with gusto in front of the Australian fans in Levi’s Stadium. This is only the third time in the country’s history they have reached the knockout phase at a World Cup and the first at consecutive tournaments.
Paraguay did what they had to but for the third match in a row offered very little. Enciso is clearly a class apart, but so much so he can be man marked and double-teamed without fear of committing so many resources in one part of the field causing problems elsewhere.
0-0 comes as little surprise considering the context of the match, but the scoreline hides a willing contest.
It is a second clean sheet of the World Cup for Australia and the second demonstration of the tactical acumen of Tony Popovic. The Socceroos coach made six changes from the side that was outplayed by the USA and they all delivered.
Volpato looked excellent starting on the right flank, helped in no small part by linking up with Bos behind him. The usual left wingback swapped sides and was the game’s most dangerous player in the unfamiliar position.
Elsewhere, Herrington continued his rapid progression, becoming Australia’s youngest ever World Cup starter, and Circati deserves a name check for another consummate display in the back three, shutting down Paraguay’s dangerman Enciso whenever he wriggled free.
Full-time: Paraguay 0-0 Australia
Australia are into the round of 32 in second place in Group D. Paraguay are almost certainly through in third.
90+4 mins: Bos is superb, running the ball out of defence, drawing the foul, taking any sting out of the game for Australia.
90+3 mins: Mauricio with a chance! but it’s straight at Beach form the edge of the box after the ball broke to him nicely. Now Yengi gets a half-chance at the other end! WHat happened to these sides shutting up shop!?
90+2 mins: More changes from Pataguay to milk the clock with Alonso replacing Gomez and Bobadilla giving Galarza a spell.
90+1 mins: Just five minutes of stoppage time.
90 mins: Almost from Bos! Australia keep the ball moving neatly on the right then the most dangerous attacker on the pitch jinks between two defenders and curls a left footed effort just wide of the far post.
89 mins: Now Australia are invited to pass the ball around with Paraguay standing off. That is until the ball is played into Bos’s feet and Galraza steams right through him without receiving a yellow card.
88 mins: Nobody dares make a mistake now.
87 mins: Enciso is still eager for more but he can’t force the issue from deep and the ball runs behind for a goal kick.
86 mins: Australia now defending in a clear 5-4-1 shape, happy with the 0-0.
85 mins: Yengi and Okon-Engstler come on for Australia, Irvine and Irankunda come off. Canale replaces Alderete for Paraguay.
84 mins: Now Bos shows similar attributes at the other end! Picking up a loose ball on the right and driving into the penalty area, cutting in onto his left boot, but running out of space to fashion a proper shot towards Gill.
Time for more subs.
83 mins: Enciso threatens twice! The first time is with some lovely skill cutting in from the right, feinting beyond Bos and shooting straight into Irvine who was brave in defence. The second is a snapshot wide after a fortunate ricochet.
82 mins: Paraguay slow things down again and Australia drop into a low block without any pressure on the ball carrier. The eventual hopeful ball into the box is headed clear.
81 mins: One thing that cannot be questioned is the commitment of both these sides. Nobody is giving an inch when the ball is in dispute.
79 mins: This final 15 minutes or so will be a grind. Both defences are dropping deep out of possession and the incentive for professional fouls increases. Bos skips over a couple of those challenges to keep Australia in motion down the right and establish attacking field position.
77 mins: Diego Gomez will not feature in the round of 32 after a professional foul on Bos on the halfway line. A surprisingly late first yellow card for Paraguay.
76 mins: A series of fouls breaks the flow of the game and does nothing to calm anyone’s nerves.
75 mins: At the other end Irankunda remains a willing runner but he is having to compete with two and three defenders every time he accepts possession.
74 mins: Souttar steps out of defence superbly to intercept but the ball breaks for Enciso and Paraguay can keep the pressure on. It’s not a committed attack though and eventually Galarza swings over a poor cross from deep on the left that goes harmlessly out of play.
73 mins: Enciso darts forward and prompts an attacking transition but when the ball is fed to Galarza on the left he checks back and recycles possession. Is that the moment we saw Paraguay putting the cue in the rack?
72 mins: No changes at the break but Alderete is clearly carrying a knock.
69 mins: With one quarter of the match to go, a reminder that both teams progress as things stand.
68 mins: Australia are not prospering down the right as they did in the first half. The Socceroos will welcome the hydration break and a chance to listen to some instruction from the coaching staff.
66 mins: It is full blooded in midfield with boots and bodies flying into challenges.
Second change for Paraguay with Arce replacing Avalos up front.
64 mins: Enciso is head and shoulders Paraguay’s most dangerous player but as he schemes in the final third Australia get back in numbers to crowd him out. This match should not be as spiky and transitional as it is.
63 mins: “Strange reffing,” suggests Matt Leonard. I have to agree, but he’s not helped by the gamesmanship he has to deal with. I know we accept it as part and parcel of the World Cup, but it must make a referee’s job insufferable.
62 mins: Paraguay’s players start waving imaginary yellow cards as first Enciso, then Alderete go to ground. Neither challenge is worthy of that kind of reaction.
61 mins: Australia enjoy repeat phases in the final third. Irvine and Hrustic link up well and the substitute gets a narrow shooting window on the edge of the box but his effort is deflected off the boot and proves no threat to Gill.
60 mins: Irankunda gets clear on the right but makes an awful decision, blasting miles wide from a narrow angle. A lack of composure there from the youngster.
58 mins: Circati takes out Enciso hip and shoulder and sends the Paraguayan playmaker into the advertising hoardings.
First substitution of the night for Australia: Hrustic for Volpato. That should give the Socceroos more control in midfield, and better set-piece delivery, but I thought the bolter was arguably the standout attacker on the field in the first half and gave Australia a necessary outlet on the right.
While the match plays out in Santa Clara, Socceroos fans back at home are gathered in pubs and at live sites across Sydney, waiting for an opening goal that would help ease nerves.
56 mins: This is a different Paraguay side, more energetic and confident than the side that played with their guard up in the opening half. They seem to have spent 45 minutes observing what the Socceroos can throw at them and have decided they can not only cope with it but take chances at the other end. Enciso is growing into the game and the sub Mauricio looks a player.
54 mins: Australia deal well with a cross from the right but then panic as Enciso runs at the heart of the defence, showing his skill for the first time tonight. Behich and Beach fail to communicate clearly and the young keeper hacks unconvincingly at a clearance to gift the South Americans a corner.
52 mins: Paraguay deal with a couple of Australian crosses then play finally settles down for the first time this half. Mauricio has been brought on to help his side circulate the ball in midfield, operate as the metronome, keep Australia moving from side to side in defence.
51 mins: This is a much more assertive Paraguay early in the second half. Australia need to be careful not to get caught out in transition with so much of the play in dispute either side of halfway.
50 mins: Paraguay win the turnover in midfield and Mauricio can break at speed. He travels 15m unopposed before striking a decent effort from range but it’s straight at Beach.
49 mins: Irankunda battles for possession in the Paraguay box and goes down under pressure, but the referee isn’t interested. Bos then wants a free-kick for being bodychecked off the ball running to accept the one-two with Volpato but Turpin again declines Australia’s appeals.
48 mins: Herrington’s clearance lacks conviction inviting Cubas to strike one first time from outside the box but his effort is way off target.
47 mins: Irvine is the first player in the book for a late challenge on Enciso on halfway. It wasn’t a great challenge, but given the field position and some of what Caceres got away with in the first half the Australian veteran can count himself a little unlucky.
46 mins: One change at the break with the more attack-minded Mauricio replacing Maidana.
The teams are making their way out for the second half. Levi’s Stadium is now in full evening mode with the pitch in total shadow and the floodlights taking effect.
Just a reminder that 0-0 suits both teams. As things stand Australia will finish second in Group D, Paraguay third, and both will progress to the round of 32.
Socceroos assistant Paul Okon has just spoken to the host broadcaster. He expressed his surprise at Paraguay shifting from a back four to a back five and how that has allowed his team an extra man in midfield which is where Volpato is getting joy on the right. “More of the same,” is his message for the second half.
Elsewhere in the group Turkey B are leading USA B 2-1.
While I freshen up, here’s some half-time reading to tide you over.
Half-time: Paraguay 0-0 Australia
The Socceroos are the better side but it remains goalless at half-time in Santa Clara.
45+3 mins: Bos and Volpato are dominating down the right. Again they connect to engineer space and from their interplay the wingback chips the ball over for Irvine to attack but he can’t get enough purchase on his header and Gill’s goal is never in threat.
45+2 mins: Gill with another regulation save following more good work down the right between the marauding Bos and his partner in crime Volpato. This time it’s the Sassuolo man who cuts inside and curls left footed straight at the keeper.
45 mins: Six minutes of stoppage time to be played at the end of the half.
44 mins: Circati and then Herrington both escape errors in their defensive third, the latter showing great composure under pressure form Enciso. Caceres then gets away with another foul that Turpin does not deem worthy of a yellow card.
42 mins: Paraguay get a chance to slow the game down again and take it with relish. In possession their plan is to get the ball out to Enciso on the left as quickly as possible, but Bos and Circati are denying the Strasbourg man any time and space in which to operate.
40 mins: Souttar almost frees Behich on the left with a magnificent long diagonal. Just a fraction overhit.
