Australia's Leckie fires Socceroos into last 16 as Denmark head home

AL WAKRAH, Qatar -- In what volition spell down arsenic an all-time celebrated effect for Australia, the Socceroos upset Denmark, 1-0, connected a extremity from Mathew Leckie to beforehand to the Round of 16 for the archetypal clip since 2006. It marks the archetypal clip Australia has ever won 2 games astatine a azygous World Cup aft winning conscionable erstwhile implicit the past 3 tournaments combined.

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For Denmark, the nonaccomplishment and elimination is simply a monolithic nonaccomplishment aft coming into the tourney with precocious expectations considering its caller occurrence astatine the Euros and comparative deficiency of prime -- astatine slightest connected insubstantial --- of the teams it had to decorativeness above: Australia and Tunisia.

Rapid Reaction

1. Australia's tactics wage off

From the opening kickoff, it was wide the Socceroos were going to beryllium backmost and play connected the counter. It made sense, particularly erstwhile accepted logic said they would apt lone request a gully to beforehand from the group. It turned out, though, that a triumph was indispensable arsenic Tunisia pulled disconnected a shocker, beating France to onshore connected 4 points and would person gone done connected extremity differential had Australia drew with Denmark.

Collectively, Australia defended highly well. Though Denmark amassed 13 shots, they added up to conscionable 0.63 xG and ne'er truly genuinely threatened Mathew Ryan's goal.

But that wouldn't person been capable had it not been for 1 of the tournament's large idiosyncratic moments of brilliance from Melbourne City's Mathew Leckie. His game-winning extremity -- which whitethorn spell down arsenic the biggest successful Australian past -- came connected a tally that started successful Australia's antiaircraft half. He received the shot conscionable arsenic helium entered the attacking third, swerved by Atalanta defender Joakim Maehle and slotted a connected the crushed into the acold corner. It wasn't the archetypal clip Australia had threatened connected the antagonistic and from that constituent forward, it efficaciously closed up shop.

2. Disaster tourney for Denmark

When Denmark landed successful a radical with Australia and Denmark, fewer instrumentality bases were happier. Surely, the Danes would person nary occupation getting through, alongside defending champion France, and connected to the knockout rounds aft doing truthful successful Russia successful 2018. They besides became a trendy prime to marque a deeper run, contempt coming into the tourney arsenic the No. 10 betting favorite.

Expectations framework evaluation. So, by immoderate measure, crashing retired successful the radical signifier is an abject catastrophe for manager Kasper Hjulmand, who coached the squad to the semifinals of the delayed 2020 Euros past summer. It's the archetypal clip successful six all-time World Cup appearances that Denmark didn't triumph astatine slightest 1 match, with its 1 full extremity and 1 full constituent all-time worst marks.

As bully a communicative arsenic Christian Eriksen's instrumentality was, this volition beryllium remembered for each the reasons Denmark would conscionable presume forget.

3. Score 1 for the smaller leagues

Australia has lone 2 players connected its roster that play connected top-five European leagues. Only Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which trust connected players lone from their home leagues, person fewer. The Aussies person 8 players from their home league. Denmark, meanwhile, has 20 players from the top-five leagues, which makes it peers with Brazil (22), Argentina (22) and Portugal (19).

That breakdown illustrates a important endowment discrepancy portion hammering location an important point: nary of that guarantees anything. And that's the quality of the World Cup.

Player ratings (1 = worst, 10 = best)

Australia: Mathew Ryan 8, Milos Degenek 8, Kye Rowles 8, Mathew Leckie 8, Aaron Mooy 7, Riley McGree 7, Mitchell Duke 6, Aziz Behich 7, Harry Souttar 7, Jackson Irvine 7, Craig Goodwin 6.

Subs: Keanu Baccus 6, Bailey Wright 6

Denmark: Kasper Schmeichel 6, Joachim Andersen 7, Joakim Maehle 5, Andreas Christensen 7, Mathias Jensen 7, Martin Braithwaite 6, Christian Eriksen 6, Andreas Skov Olsen 7, Rasmus Kristensen 6, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 7, Jesper Lindstrom 6

Subs: Alex Bah 6, Kasper Dolberg 6, Mikkel Damsgaard 6, Robert Skov 6, Andreas Cornelius 6

Best and worst performers

BEST: Mat Ryan, Australia

The goalkeeper faced 13 shots and needed to marque conscionable 3 saves but helium was overmuch much progressive than that would indicate. He finished the crippled with much completed passes (24) than anyone connected his team.

WORST: Joakim Maehle, Denmark

It was a azygous infinitesimal but it's the lone 1 that volition beryllium remembered and helium failed to bash capable to dilatory down Leckie connected his goal.

Highlights and notable moments

Despite Denmark commanding astir of the game, Australia broke the deadlock with a fantastic counter-attacking play.

This extremity by Mathew Leckie was CLINICAL 🇦🇺🔥 pic.twitter.com/3IdggxmYK5

Australia fans are celebrating astatine home, contempt it being 3 a.m.

After the match: What the players and managers said

Quotes to come...

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

- Matthew Leckie scores his 14th extremity for Australia. His archetypal extremity since June of 2021 successful World Cup qualifying.

- Australia's goalkeeper Mat Ryan completed the astir passes for the squad successful the full crippled vs Denmark (24).

Up next

Australia: As the second-place finisher from Group D, Australia volition play the first-place finisher from Group C connected Sunday, Dec. 4 astatine 2 p.m. ET. Poland, Argentina and Saudi Arabia stay possibilities up of Wednesday's 2nd circular of games.

Denmark: With the loss, the Danes are retired of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.