Al Wakrah (Qatar): Earlier than flying to Qatar, Australia’s Mitchell Duke had promised to dedicate a aim on the World Cup to his son, and the striker duly delivered when he scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Tunisia of their second Group D match on Saturday.
Duke tormented the Tunisian defence all through the sport along with his physicality and was rewarded within the opening half when his glancing header beat the keeper, serving to Australia log their first win on the World Cup in 12 years.
The 31-year-old reeled away in celebration holding up his palms within the form of the letter “J” for his son Jaxson as his teammates embraced him close to the nook flag.
“I spoke to my son after I obtained chosen for the World Cup. As a striker you want that perception and confidence you are going to rating in each match,” he informed reporters.
“I informed my son I used to be going to share it with him, the gesture is the letter J. It is a second I’ll treasure for the remainder of my life.
“Clearly the second I scored was pure ecstasy for me. I would heard solely seven Australians had scored on the World Cup and I informed Arnie (coach Graham Arnold) I would be the eighth – or ninth.”
The Al Janoub Stadium was a sea of crimson Tunisian followers with a handful of Australian supporters in pockets across the enviornment, however the aim silenced the Africans who had been in full voice.
“It was a very hard-fought match, Tunisia may be very bodily and we knew they’d be aggressive and their followers create a hostile atmosphere,” Duke added.
“They get very passionate within the recreation and we needed to match that within the recreation and likewise beat it.”
The striker plies his commerce for Fagiano Okayama within the second-tier J2 League in Japan, usually spending lengthy durations away from his household, and Arnold praised his dedication to the trigger.
“I’ve obtained loads of religion within the child. I all the time know when he walks over that white line, he’ll give greater than 100 per cent for the staff, for the jersey and the nation,” Arnold mentioned.