Australia-Egypt Preview: Can Australia continue to surprise?

On Jul 2, 2026

Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros of The Cooligans explain why Australia may come up short against a talented Egypt side in the Round of 32. Check out the full conversation on the “The Cooligans” podcast – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

I’m surprised Australia is still here.

Really?

To be completely honest, yeah, ’cause I just assumed Turkey A would probably finish third in that group.

Right, right, right.

so the fact that Australia are here I think is very good, and I think Dunney said something really important, which is he looks at the way Australia plays with a lot of grit, a lot of heart, try to catch you making mistakes, try to, try to get you to, to upend your own game plan, and that’s the way the US used to play.

And I think this is a moment where the, the quality that Egypt has on the pitch is gonna shine beyond, what we’re looking here.

And of course, dude, you know, Traor if he, if he starts.

you got Irankunda.

I mean, these are some great Metcalf.

I’m assuming he’s not gonna pull the same, the- Yeah Popovic is gonna make the same mistakes he made against the US.

He’s gonna start his best players.

But, I mean, look at this, you know what I mean?

You got, Mohamed Salah, you got Trezeguet.

I Dude, this is just a slightly higher class of talent, and I think that’s gonna overwhelm, especially when you get to the knockout rounds.

You can’t just gut and grit your way through it.

Sure, we’ll see.

I mean, the, the, you know, Australia’s gonna play pretty defensive.

Mm-hmm.

Like, can Egypt figure that out?

I mean, they, they have a few good players, but not all of them I think are- Not everyone is at, is Mohamed Sa- Salah level.

Yeah, yeah.

So i- i- I mean, it’s going to be It’s gonna take some individual, brilliance, ’cause I- Australia are gonna be annoying.

Yeah.

That’s, I think that’s how Egypt is gonna kind of interpret that game.

But- Egypt players are gonna be like, “Stop.”

Yeah, yeah.

But Egypt should win.

I mean, they’re, they have to be s- like slight favorites.

Yeah.

Main- mainly because the, the, the, the slog of, um- Slog playing in CAF, and, and AFCON and a- and the, the experience that these Egyptian players have- Mm-hmm might be enough to get them, like over that hump of, like, what- whatever challenges Australia are gonna bring.

Yeah.

I just, I, I don’t see Australia scoring in this game.

That’s kind of the main thing, ’cause- I could see them scoring on a counter or something, but- They’re like als- almost like both counter attacking teams.

Yeah.

But I, I don’t imagine the game being super, super open.

I hope it’s back and forth.

Credit: Source link