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Did Popovic make a mistake by substituting Patrick Beach?
Jaiden Sciberras • July 4th, 2026 10:17 am
Australia's admirable run at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ has come to a bitter end, eliminated at the Round of 32 after a heart-breaking loss to Egypt on penalties.
And unfortunately, despite a big win over Turkiye and a second place finish in Group D, all of the post-match talk will surround the decisions made in the dying stages of the Socceroos' Round of 32 loss.
Playing out a 1-1 draw with Egypt, head coach Tony Popovic opted to make a 119th minute substitution, withdrawing goalkeeper Patrick Beach for veteran Mathew Ryan ahead of an inevitible penalty shootout.
Beach, who had played every minute of the World Cup up to that point and had starred for the Socceroos, was replaced by Australia's former number one, with hopes that Ryan's experience would better serve the nation within the tense penalty standoff.
However, it didn't go to plan, with Ryan failing to save a single penalty in Australia's 4-2 shootout loss.
The decision to make the change certainly has merit, with Maty Ryan's 105 games of experience second to none in Australia's camp.
That said, Ryan's previous reputation in terms of penalty shootouts isn't necessarily exceptional, having previously being subbed out of Australia's 2022 World Cup qualifier against Peru to make way for Andrew Redmayne ahead of a crucial shootout just four years ago.
SEN's Jordan Kounelis and Socceroos legend Archie Thompson spoke through the decision post-game, questioning whether or not Popovic made the appropriate call.
"The big talking point is going to be change at goalkeeper," Kounelis told SEN's The Global Game.
"Patrick Beach taken out of the game at the very end of extra time. He played 119 minutes, and then Mat Ryan was subbed on at the death to come on and be the goalkeeper for the shootout.
"Was that the right call in hindsight? Taking off Beach, who had had such a great run through the tournament.
"Four games, was excellent, put his name up in lights this tournament, and then you bring on Mat Ryan, who has been cold for the tournament.
"They bring him on to try and be the penalty specialist, and he didn't really have any impact at all as the shot stopper."
Archie Thompson responded: "It's so funny.
"If he comes on, makes saves and we go through, it's an unbelievable substitution.
"I haven't seen too many games in La Liga with Maty Ryan, but there might have been a few penalties that he saved in that competition.
"I still feel like he is an exceptional goalkeeper, and one of the best shot stoppers that Australia has produced. I think he has just been incredible.
"Whether that was the gameplan. Regardless of what was going on, whether Patrick Beach was having a worldie - which he did again, because he made that unbelievable save to get them into extra time - that was always going to be the gameplan.
"There was no way you could change. You have an understanding and a gameplan, and the goalkeepers would have a union to say, 'I'm going to be doing this'.
"We saw it with Maty Ryan being taken off for the penalty shootout for qualification in 2022 - worked out a treat there. Then, you've got to question that.
"They've taken Maty OUT of the goal for a penalty shootout, and they brought in Andrew Redmayne. Now they've brought IN Maty. I don't know.
"It's purely down to what they see at training."
Kounelis: "That's what crossed my mind when I saw Mat Ryan coming on - he was taken off for that Peru qualifier in early 2022 for that World Cup.
"At that stage, under Graham Arnold, did he identify that Mat Ryan was not a great shootout taker?
"They opted to go with Redmayne in that shootout, who ended up saving and helped Australia into the 2022 World Cup.
"This instance has been the reverse. I don't know what's happened in the interim four years, if he's become a much better penalty stopper, Mat Ryan."
Irrespective of the decision, Australia's loss came at the hands of two missed penalty kicks, with Harry Souttar missing the opening penalty before 18-year-old Lucas Herrington courageously stepped up and sent his shot against the crossbar.
With that result, the Socceroos head home after a brilliant FIFA World Cup campaign, progressing to the Round of 32 before falling short at the death.
