Australia continues to celebrate Socceroos impactful debut at the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Curaçao scores its first ever World Cup goal in their match with Germany; Japan came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Netherlands; Ivory Coast had a late win against Ecuador after Amad Diallo scored at 90th minute; Sweden wins 5-1 against Tunisia in their opening match. Join your host Haylena Krishnamoorthy for this episode of World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast, as she wraps up day four of the World Cup. Will Australia be able to keep up its momentum against USA this weekend? And will the US-Iran peace deal announced today bring a sense of calm ahead of Iran’s opener against New Zealand tomorrow?
Socceroos' stole the headlines across the nation, following their remarkable 2-nil win against Türkiye on Sunday.
Australian soccer icon Harry Kewell spoke to my SBS Cantonese and SBS Chinese colleagues.
He says Tony Popovic made a big call, but a good call with his young squad.
"Popovic is seeing them day in day out, he's seeing them for the last seven weeks in training, he's watched them over the last couple of years so he knows exactly what they're capable of doing. So I believe he was fully confident in these young players coming through and I think it's important that if we want to move on, and if we want to see the next generation, you've got to give them that opportunity to shine in the big moments, and I thought yesterday they shined."
Tony Popovic's 26-player squad belong to at least 15 cultural and ethnic backgrounds And this includes three players who came to Australia as refugees from Africa.
I spoke to Dr Nasya Bahfen - a sport and media lecturer at La Trobe University.
She was also at the the Socceroos' - Türkiye watch party at Federation Square in Melbourne.
Dr Bahfen says the crowd reflected the beauty of the world game - with many Australians cheering on more than one team.
"I actually think it's a huge benefit to be able to say, "Well, I've got two sides." You know? In, I've got two, two horses in this race. And I'm of Turkish background and I am, Australian as well. And I'm proud of both, and I will compromise neither. And that's one of the beautiful things about following this sport in a country like Australia."
Dr Bahfen's says for many players around the world dual identity is not unusual."I think the World Cup is demonstrating that, identities aren't, you know, singular. They're not static. What it means to be Australian is, very different, as the Socceroos themselves, you know, put out in a video, which stated that, their team is a reflection of what Australia looks like today."And to recap the other matches today, Curacao made their mark as the smallest nation by population size to play football at this level.Although they lost to Germany by 7-1, both sides had a reason to celebrate.The fastest goal of the World Cup as it stands is by Germany's Felix Nmecha, just after six minutes.
Man of the match, and star player Kai Havertz scored two of those seven goals. And the crowd's biggest cheer was for Livano Comenencia’s 21-minute equaliser - Curaçao's first-ever goal at a World Cup. But the team captain Leandro Bacuna says although it was a historic moment, they still
"I think we can be really proud to play against a nation like Germany and to actually score a goal, cause coming from behind scoring 1-1. I think we've done a great job, but after that I think we gave the goals a bit easy to them, everytime, if you look at the goals 1-2, we don't follow our man and they score. At this level you can't do those kind of mistakes. So, we've got to look in the mirror, we've got to take the positives out of the game, and move on."
Dr Bahfen welcomes the inclusion of Curaçao.
"I think it's just a matter of pride to have, like, tiny nations, Curaçao, Cape Verde, to be competing with heavyweights like Germany. It is just a matter of pride. And unfortunately, there is an element of the, the sports, going public that does see it as, a bit of a money grab. But without that element of showcasing these tiny countries on the world stage, I guess there's not a better way to, to sort of slowly reduce that playing field. And at the moment, of course, the playing field is like this when you're talking about Curaçao and about Germany."
Beyond the football field.... Iran confirmed an immediate end to conflict with the US and Israel on various fronts in the Middle East...
with the US and Iran scheduled to sign a peace deal in Switzerland this Friday.
Last week FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Iran's appearance at the World Cup is one to celebrate.
"I think it has already been successful to bring Iran to play in America. I don't know who would have managed to do that. And of course, everyone here believes it is the right thing to do. But, you know, again, we don't live on the moon. We live on planet Earth. And you have to deal with different situations. We try to do our best, we try to do our best."
Welcome news also for Dr Bahfen.
"I'm really, really happy that Iran is facing off against, New Zealand. There has not been a World Cup in my lifetime or yours or our parents' or our grandparents' where we've seen the host nation actively bombing one of the other participant nations and where we've seen that participant nation, Iran, in turn actively bombing, or until recently it was actively bombing, two other, participant nations in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and they all happen to play in the same, confederation. This World Cup is absolutely wild."
And shares that she's going for another small nation who will make their first World Cup appearance tomorrow.
"It has been divisive to expand the World Cup, but it's a great chance to showcase some of these tiny little footballing nations that nobody's ever heard of. So more power to them. And Cape Verde is my underdog, the sort of team that I'm going for."In other results Earlier - Netherlands drew 2-all with Japan, with Daichi Kamada scoring a late equaliser at the 89th minute."It's 2-2, it's.. it is bedlam here in Texas. Never write off Japan. (cheers)"
Liverpool legend Virgil van Dijk who scored at the 51st minute is the captain of the Dutch team.
"How do you feel about being considered as favourite ones?Van Dijk: "I think everyone can have their opinion, I think for us it's just that focus on what we can influence and that's our performances. Today was like you said a very difficult game, from start to finish. And you got a point, that's the reality and we have to move on, get ready for Sweden. Will be another big challenge again. But we have all week to prepare for that."
Journalist: "And you were expecting this from Japan?"
Van Dijk: "Of course, if you analyse Japan, hopefully you did as well. Then you would be expecting this too."
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast had a late win against Ecuador by 1-0 after substitute Amad Diallo scored at the 90th minute.
Mailys Horr-Faé's father Emerse Faé is the coach of the Ivory Coast team.
She says she's thrilled with the result.
“I am so proud of my country. I feel so happy during this match. And I want to say that I am really proud of my father, who is the coach of Ivory Coast. Everyone is happy. So thank you very much.”
And Sweden won against Tunisia by 5-1 in their 2026 World Cup opener in Mexico's Monterrey city.
Yasin Ayari scored the first goal at the seventh minute and final goal in the 96th minute.
I'll be with you again tomorrow with the updates on the Spain and Cape Verde match, Belgium vs Egypt, Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay and Iran against New Zealand.
Stay tuned for the latest at World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast.
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