ARLINGTON, Texas -- Australian coach Tony Popovic has warned his side against getting caught up in the occasion as they chase a first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout win, but added, no matter what "this group's already made history."
After making the knockout stage for the third time in their history, the Socceroos will take on Egypt at Dallas Stadium this Friday (Saturday morning, AEST), in a clash in which both they and the Pharaohs will be seeking a first-ever win in the tournament's knockouts.
On both previous occasions that Australia's men have progressed from their group, they've fallen at the hands of the future champions: suffering a 1-0 defeat against Italy in 2006 and falling 2-1 to Argentina four years ago in Qatar.
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However, there's not an unrealistic hope Down Under that this time, playing a second-placed finisher in an expanded Round of 32 rather than a group winner in a Round of 16 clash, this will be the year in which Australia's men finally break through for that win. But Popovic, characteristically, refused to look past Egypt.
"We can't overthink that and be caught up by the occasion," he said on Thursday. "We have to really stay in the moment. The history gets made after the game. We have to do our part during the match -- whether that's 90 minutes, extra time or penalties -- to create that history.
"I'm expecting the game to be even more difficult than what we've had so far, because it is a knockout game and with respect to Egypt. But I also feel that we can play better. Tomorrow is a chance to do that. And if we perform very well, we have a chance to make history."
Both Popovic and Egyptian boss Hossam Hassan will be forced into some difficult decisions on Friday, juggling the possibility of the game going a full 120 minutes (plus penalties) with younger players still developing their physical levels or, as is the case for Pharaohs talisman Mohamed Salah, players carrying knocks.
Popovic said that his side would be ready to respond regardless of whether Salah starts or comes off the bench -- Hassan declaring hours earlier he would feature -- but, as one might expect from a coach still yet to field the same XI in back-to-back games over a nearly two-year tenure, he welcomed the puzzle that awaited him.
"I think that's always been the challenge, when you have a young group that doesn't have the maturity or the experience of playing big games regularly," he said. "That's also the exciting part, the exuberance that they bring, the fearlessness that they bring.
"We're managing all of that, and we have a wonderful group that is together, is united, and they're all playing their part. I'm confident we can see that again tomorrow, regardless of who plays and the players that come on and make an impact."
Regardless of what happens in Texas, however, Popovic expressed great pride in reaching the knockouts. The Socceroos' now-vacated base camp in Berkeley, California, had been decorated with historic photos and jerseys designed to inspire the players and the coach said that, no matter what, this current group would always have a place on his wall.
"We have a lot of respect for Australian football history," he said. "Especially for the younger players, to understand the pioneers who put Australian football on the map. Those jerseys are reminders for them to remember the photos of past teams that have had success.
"This group's already made history; the way they performed getting through the group, history has already been made. We have a chance tomorrow to make further history, but this group will already go down in history. And regardless of tomorrow, their photo, the team photo, will proudly be up on any wall and, in particular, it will be on mine."
