Santa Clara (US), June 26 -- Australia manager Tony Popovic praised his players after they secured the Socceroos' first back-to-back appearances in the World Cup knockout stage.
A goalless draw against Paraguay at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium was enough to guarantee Australia second place in Group D and a spot in the last 32 on Thursday.
"It's a special day," Popovic told a post-match news conference. "We've seen how many big nations haven't made it through.
"This is the World Cup and it's difficult because you face different styles from different countries. It was a wonderful achievement in Qatar and now we have the chance to go further and do something even more special."Australia completed the group stage with four points, havin...