Australia reached the last 16 for only the second time in 2022 and the obvious goal four years later would be to win a World Cup knockout match for the first time – although in a group where each team looks capable of beating the other, Popovic and his men may wish to avoid Australia's traditionally slow start.

A spearfisher was killed on Saturday in Australia's third fatal shark attack in four weeks, police said. The 35-year-old man was spearfishing with family off Michaelmas Island near the port city of Albany in Western Australia state when he was attacked before noon local time,