Popovic's Bold Moves Pay Off

Coach Tony Popovic stunned the world by benching Australia’s captain and vice-captain, starting instead a 22-year-old rookie goalkeeper and a midfield rookie whose father coaches in the league — and both delivered masterclasses. Patrick Beach saved eight times, including a jaw-dropping stop and the assist for Australia’s opener, while Okon-Engstler anchored the midfield with precision. Even Burgess outshone the Barcelona-linked Herrington in defense. Popovic’s bold gamble paid off big — and with a USA clash looming, the question now is: will he keep shaking things up? Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c8ff253f0754f013