The split-second change behind wonder goal

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Socceroos leader Mat Leckie declared "it doesn't substance who's successful beforehand of us" aft his wonder extremity acceptable up a imagination day with Lionel Messi's Argentina connected Sunday (AEDT).

An exhausted Leckie spoke with Nine's Today Show aft his instant classical onslaught helped downed Denmark 1-0 and fired Australia done to the World Cup circular of 16.

"It's an astonishing feeling, evidently mixed emotions," Leckie said.

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"Exhausted, of course. The boys gave everything contiguous and we ever believed from time 1 that we could get the effect we needed to get retired of the group. And present we conscionable request to support dreaming."

Leckie revealed that the winding way helium took to people the winning extremity was not the 1 helium primitively acceptable retired on.

"Riley (McGree) recovered maine and I saw determination was lone 1 much defender to beat. Originally I wanted to chopped successful connected my close but they defended it good truthful I went backmost connected my near and swung astatine the shot and it rolled in."

Denmark are ranked 10th successful the satellite - 28 spots supra Australia - and were semi-finalists astatine the 2020 Euros.

Few were giving the Socceroos a existent changeable but assurance wrong the squad is brimming.

"We deserved it. It didn't substance what Denmark threw astatine america tonight," Leckie said.

Craig Foster, Mark Bosnich and Breanna Holden sermon immoderate immense circular of 16 Champions League matchups and Graham Arnold's Socceroos World Cup squad

"The mode the boys fought to the end, the shot was ne'er going successful the backmost of the net."

Graham Arnold's men volition beryllium adjacent bigger underdogs against Messi's Argentina, who topped Group C by beating Poland 2-0 connected Thursday (AEDT).

But the world's third-ranked broadside has already suffered a large upset successful Qatar, stunned 2-1 by Saudi Arabia successful their opening match.

The Socceroos genuinely believe.

"The squad has a mentality present that it doesn't substance who's successful beforehand of us. We play the mode we privation to play. We play positive," Leckie said.

"And arsenic agelong arsenic we amusement that warring tone that we have, thing tin happen.

'Amazing, astonishing moment': Socceroos fable connected triumph against Denmark

"Going into this tournament, determination weren't galore radical that thought we would beryllium wherever we are today. But we ever judge we tin make immoderate thing peculiar and I'm going to springiness that a crack. We're each buzzing."

Leckie said the Socceroos were besides good alert of the unthinkable scenes they were inspiring among supporters successful Australia, astir notably the chaotic celebrations astatine Melbourne's Federation Square.

"Amazing. We've seen however the spot erupted and it's conscionable an astonishing thing, I think, for america to beryllium capable to make that benignant of ambiance and those benignant of celebrations. It makes america proud. And you know, the World Cup is the biggest stage. It's bully to spot the fans and the state get down america truthful hopefully we tin bash it again."

Thousands battalion Fed Square to cheer connected Socceroos

But portion immoderate Socceroos fans had the luxury of partying into the aboriginal hours, it was consecutive to furniture for Leckie post-interview.

"We threw everything astatine the crippled today. They're speedy turnarounds and we knew we had to beryllium successful large information coming into this tourney due to the fact that they are aggravated games and you spot however we combat arsenic a team. How we onslaught and support arsenic a squad you know, it's it's axenic energy, work-rate mentality. And we've done it amazingly truthful far."

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