SANTA CLARA, United States, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Australia manager Tony Popovic praised his players after they secured the Socceroos' first back-to-back appearances in the World Cup knockout stage on Thursday.
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.
"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, having beaten Turkiye and lost to the United States in its opening two games.
The Socceroos will now have an eight-day wait before their next match and Popovic said the break would allow his players to be ready for the next opponent.
"It will help our younger players get over the euphoria of this result and give ourselves a chance," he said.
"The intensity and level of this tournament is something we're not used to. These eight days will help us prepare not only for the next game but, if we get through, they could also leave us better prepared for a shorter turnaround after that."
The former Crystal Palace defender commended his team's performance against the South American team, despite its failure to score.
"We showed composure, patience, quality and resilience," he said. "You don't expect to create a lot of chances, but when they come you have to try to take them.
"We never played for a draw. We controlled the game and had the better of the chances. In the end, a draw was enough." ■
