It was a tense Wednesday afternoon for Newcastle United new boy Garang Kuol, as his Australia side pulled off a shock win over Denmark to move into the last 16 of the World Cup.
The Central Coast Mariners star – who will officially arrive on Tyneside in January – was an unused substitute for the Aussies, but watched his team put in a heroic display against the Danes; who crash out at the first hurdle after another toothless display.
Incredibly, Tunisia beat the holders France in the other Group D game on Wednesday afternoon, however that wasn’t enough as the Socceroos advanced into the knockout stages for the second time in their history.
Kuol hasn’t featured in either of Australia’s last two games – 1-0 wins over Tunisia and Denmark – but did play 16 minutes of their opening game against France, becoming the youngest player to ever represent his country at a World Cup in the process.
Next up for them is Argentina, who finished top of Group C after a dominant 2-0 win over a Polish side who qualified in second by the skin of their teeth.
Whether he features or not in the next phase of the tournament, he joins Brazil’s Bruno Guimaraes and England trio Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson and Nick Pope in the last 16.
