Australia keep their hopes alive with 1-0 win over Tunisia in FIFA

Doha (Qatar), Nov 26: A first-half headed goal by Mitchell Duke helped Australia carve out a fighting 1-0 win over Tunisia and kept their qualification hopes on track at the FIFA World Cup.

In the Group D match played at Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday, Duke produced the only goal of the match in the 23rd-minute strike and helped the Socceroos’ to collect their first points of the football showpiece event.

Duke, who plays his club football for ? Fagiano Okayama in Japan’s second tier, converted Craig Goodwin’s left-wing cross which sent the Australian supporters into a celebration mood.

The Socceroos’ had to withstand some late pressure to secure a win and head into their final Group D clash with Denmark with all to play for. The win ended Australia’s seven-match winless run and claimed their first FIFA World Cup win in over 12 years.

Coach Graham Arnold’s team had fallen to defending champion France in their first match losing 4-1, after having scored the first goal of the match, only to find their defense caved in four times in the match against the rampaging Frenchman.

Tunisia on the other hand had drawn goalless with Denmark in their first group encounter. Australia will take on Denmark in their last league group match while Tunisia will meet France.

As they did against France, Australia started brightly here and went into the early lead deservingly. There’s an air of confidence in their game and they were moving the ball along well.

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