Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020

The Socceroos vs Cameroon clash ended with a late breakthrough on Friday night, as Australia beat Cameroon 1-0 in the FIFA Series at Accor Stadium in Sydney. Jordan Bos scored the winner after a second half in which the Socceroos carried more threat and finally found a way through. The result mattered for Tony Popovic’s side after three straight defeats to the United States, Venezuela and Colombia.

For long stretches of the first half, neither team found much rhythm in attack. Australia handed debuts to Deni Juric and Lucas Herrington, and while the tempo stayed flat early, the crowd lifted after the break when Nestory Irankunda and Awer Mabil came on and gave the home side more drive in wide areas. The official Socceroos site has the latest team news and fixtures.

For readers following other international football stories, this World Cup playoff report also tracks another major week in the global game. Australia’s next FIFA Series match is against Curaçao in Melbourne, with official event details listed through AAMI Park and FIFA’s FIFA Series page.

Second-half pressure brings reward

Australia’s first clear chance did not arrive until the 71st minute, when Aiden O’Neill was fouled by Cameroon right-back Oliver Kamdem and a penalty was awarded after a VAR review. Ajdin Hrustic stepped up, but his spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Devis Epassy. That miss could have changed the mood, but the Socceroos kept pushing and stayed on the front foot.

Cameron Burgess then missed with a header, and Nestory Irankunda was denied by Epassy soon after. From the stands, the sense of pressure rose with every Australian attack as Cameroon dropped deeper and the home side kept forcing the play into dangerous spots. The winner came late when Paul Okon-Engstler’s pass was only half-cut out by Samuel Kotto, allowing Jordan Bos to take control and finish calmly for his third international goal.

Debuts and a concern for Tony Popovic

Tony Popovic gave first caps to Deni Juric and Lucas Herrington, with both players starting. Juric struggled to get involved before being taken off at half-time, but Herrington looked steady across the full match and dealt well with Cameroon’s forwards. It was a composed first outing for the 18-year-old defender.

Before kick-off, Popovic said: “They’ve been given an opportunity, and I haven’t said too much to them to be honest,” Popovic told Network 10 pre-match. “I don’t want to put the pressure on them, let them enjoy it, let them relax (and) embrace the moment of representing your country. “We want them to feel the confidence from the whole staff, and all the players, and just go out there and do their best.” Australia did get the win, but Connor Metcalfe being forced off with what appeared to be a knee problem may leave one concern before the Curaçao match.