Lacklustre Australia edge to late win over Cameroon in FIFA Series

[p]There were few opportunities in the dour friendly at Sydney's Stadium [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/xSrf6qMM/"]Australia[/a] until the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/feyenoord/8zjySeoN/"]Feyenoord[/a] midfielder pounced with five minutes left.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hrustic-ajdin/phFkXFtU/"]Ajdin Hrustic[/a] missed a penalty in the much-needed win for a side that suffered two losses in the previous international window, falling 1-0 to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/venezuela/raj05RS9/"]Venezuela[/a] and 3-0 to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colombia/G02s4PCS/"]Colombia[/a].[/p][p]The clash was part of the FIFA Series 2026, a mini-tournament that also features fellow World Cup qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/curacao/bLLGpOkQ/"]Curacao[/a], who were beaten 2-0 by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/china/f5AvIXD3/"]China[/a] in an earlier match at the same venue.[/p][p]"[b]First half we couldn't really break through, and then second half we kept on coming[/b]," [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bos-jordan/fZFBMyjl/"]Bos[/a] said.[/p][p]"[b]We had some chances and it was coming down to the last 10 minutes, and I got the goal in and we got the win. So that's important[/b]."[/p][embed guid="aa0ea405-7aef-45a0-8d88-6dc02ecbbf7c" url="https://x.com/Socceroos/status/2037487202192773605" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Socceroos will be at a sixth straight World Cup and coach Tony Popovic used the match to run his eye over some inexperienced players.[/p][p]With a host of places in his World Cup squad still up for grabs, he handed debuts to 18-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colorado-rapids/jmBZNRn8/"]Colorado Rapids[/a] defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/herrington-lucas/4ApZ8wCi/"]Lucas Herrington[/a] and Poland-based striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/juric-deni/Sb3wQ9CI/"]Deni Juric[/a].[/p][p]Neither player showed nerves in a lively opening as the hosts pressed for an early breakthrough.[/p][p]But they struggled to keep control against a young [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cameroon/zk1uVG2D/"]Cameroon[/a] side rebuilding after failing to qualify for the World Cup.[/p][p]Chances in the first half were few and far between on a slippery pitch, with both sides missing a creative spark.[/p][p]Popovic replaced Juric and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boyle-martin/f7Wzffpk/"]Martin Boyle[/a] with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mabil-awer/EZJnz8L7/"]Awer Mabil[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/irankunda-nestor/OdWRR5EU/"]Nestory Irankunda[/a] up front for the second half and the intensity lifted.[/p][embed guid="21ab780d-7202-4c7d-be51-929adf398391" url="https://x.com/Socceroos/status/2037486538926502373" social-type="twitter" /][p]It culminated with Cameroon debutant [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kamdem-oliver/nNiMJeMN/"]Oliver Kamdem[/a] conceding a penalty with 20 minutes left, but goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/epassy-mboka-devis/WIEJpTp8/"]Devis Epassy[/a] went the right way to deny Hrustic.[/p][p]Irankunda twice went close as the clock ticked down before Bos's late heroics, beating a defender after being fed the ball by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okon-paul/Mo1q9x3A/"]Paul Okon[/a].[/p][p]Australia are in World Cup Group D with co-hosts the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/fuitL4CF/"]United States[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paraguay/YaNlqp6j/"]Paraguay[/a] and a yet-to-be-determined European nation.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/australia-xSrf6qMM/cameroon-zk1uVG2D/?mid=U7WG1svn"]Check out all the stats from the match here[/a][/b][/p]