World Cup 2022: Australia Socceroos v Tunisia start time: TV, team news, next game

The Socceroos will start differently in today’s match against Tunisia, where Nathaniel Atkinson will be unable to start due to an ankle injury.

This morning in Doha, Atkinson noticeably missed Australia’s lightweight session and team officials confirmed that he had not recovered. from a blow received in Australia’s loss to France on Tuesday.

Atkinson had a hard time against arguably the best player on the planet, Kylian Mbappe, but reflection analysis shows that The 22-year-old was not completely torn to pieces.

The game featured 14 one-on-one duels between Mbappe and Atkinson, with Atkinson losing three times.

START AT 21:00 AEDT

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold mentioned the youngster’s performance at a briefing with Australian reporters yesterday.

“I just told Nathaniel, you will remember this for the rest of your life,” Arnold said.

“In 20 years, when you retire, you will be sitting there with a beer in your hand and telling everyone how you played against one of the best players in the world.

“And you show them two mistakes, but ten things you did great. You have to look at the positives and what this child will learn from it.”

Arnold will now have to choose between Thomas Deng, Milos Degenek and Fran Karacic to fill the right-back vacancy.

WHO IS ENTERING?

Italy-based Fran Karacic will be tasked with helping rebuild Australia’s holey defense that conceded four goals to a runaway French team.

Midfield star Aydin Khrustik, who has recovered from his own ankle ailment, is another strong contender for a spot in Arnold’s starting lineup for Saturday’s clash.

“He’s picking up momentum, trained well (on Friday) and recovered well. Mentally and physically, he is in good shape, ”Arnold said at a pre-match press conference.

“Tomorrow is going to be a very, very physical game – Tunisia loves the physical game. We have to match the physical aspect of it. But he’s in good shape.”

There could also be forward movement with Mitchell Duke under pressure from fellow hitters Jamie McLaren and Jason Cummings to keep his place in the lineup.

However, Arnold said he didn’t want to make too many changes.

“The boys pulled themselves up fantastically well. I don’t think there will be too many changes,” Arnold said.

“We need to put up the strongest squad.

“Tomorrow there will be a different bowler (compared to the game with France). We will be in their faces, high up, chasing and pressing like they do and like other teams do, and we will be in the forefront.

“I don’t want to reveal the starting XI… Jamie is definitely a great scorer, Mitchell Duke works hard.

“We have a choice to make. At the end of the day, I think at some stage you will see both of them on the pitch.”

Atkinson had a hard time against arguably the best player on the planet, Kylian Mbappe, but reflection analysis shows the 22-year-old wasn’t completely torn to shreds.

The game featured 14 one-on-one duels between Mbappe and Atkinson, with Atkinson losing three times.

Arnold on Thursday mentioned the youth’s performance to Australian reporters.

“I just told Nathaniel, you will remember this for the rest of your life,” Arnold said.

“In 20 years, when you retire, you will be sitting there with a beer in your hand and telling everyone how you played against one of the best players in the world.

“And you show them two mistakes, but ten things you did great. You have to look at the positives and what this child will learn from it.”

WILL CAHILL’S GHOST SCARE A FOOTBALL OPPONENT?

Liam Fitzgibbon

Tunisia’s information about Socceroos is limited. Saturday Night (AEDT) FIFA World Cup Decider — even to one iconic moment for one of their stars.

“I remember that Tim Cahill goal… It’s my last memory[of Australian teams],” defender Mohamed Draeger told News Corp, referring to Cahill’s classic volley at the 2014 World Cup against the Netherlands.

“It’s good for us that he doesn’t play anymore. (laughs).

“…Listen, to be honest, I haven’t seen much of them…but I know that the history of Australia is such that with a big team, especially in the World Cups, it’s difficult to play with them. So, to be honest, I expect a tough game.”

According to Dragher, there will be no danger of complacency from Tunisia. And the same will no doubt happen to Graham Arnold’s men after the North African team beat world No. 10 Denmark to a draw in the first leg.

“It was good (result). I think it changed the expectations of other teams that will play with us. Maybe it was a big shout out to them and yes, we are proud,” said Drager, who plays for Swiss side Lucerne on loan from Premier League club Nottingham Forest.

“We don’t want to make it too big because it’s zero-zero. It’s not a big win. But yes, obviously Denmark is one of the best teams in Europe, especially in the last two years. So yeah, expectations are a little higher now.”

Drager didn’t see the Socceroos lose 4-1 to France in their first match, but he refuses to put too much weight on the result, especially knowing how desperate Arnold’s team will be in a clash between the two lowest-ranked teams in the group.

“As they say, back to the wall, right?” – he said.

“They have nothing to lose, if you know what I mean. So it will be hard for us, like the final, because we didn’t want Denmark. We only have one point, so we need to get to four points, because it will be difficult for the French team.

“Honestly, I have a lot of respect for this game against Australia because I think we didn’t talk too much about Australia. All attention was more focused on Denmark and the French team.

“So I hope we don’t make the mistake of underestimating the Australians.”

One thing is for sure, Saturday’s match will be like a hostile away match for the Socceroos, with Tunisia among Qatar’s most supported teams.

There are an estimated 40,000 Tunisians living in Doha and it looks like most of them had a ticket to the opening match played in an incredible noisy atmosphere.

“It was like a home game for us,” Drager said.

“How many people were in the stadium, say 42,000? I think it was 40,000 (Tunisians).

“It was great. It was great. Everything went smoothly and I hope to experience it again in the next two games.

“Maybe even in the next three or four games.”