Socceroos seal 1-0 victory over Tunisia

The Socceroos have given their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup last 16 a tremendous boost with a tense, battling 1-0 victory over Tunisia.

Mitch Duke's superb first half header was the only goal of a hard-fought game, despite Tunisia laying siege to Australia's goal late in the second half.

However, Harry Souttar made a number of telling tackles and Mat Ryan some solid saves to preserve a rare clean sheet, Australia's first at a men's World Cup since 1974.

The Socceroos made just one change, Nathaniel Atkinson, who was given such a torrid time by Kylian Mbappé in the opening game, missed out with an ankle injury, replaced in the line up by Fran Karačić.

Graham Arnold had warned that Tunisia would prove to be physical opposition and that proved to be the case, with the midfield skirmishes particularly intense from the off.

The Socceroos met that aggression head on, matching that physicality and unsettling the Tunisian players, who turned the ball over with alarming regularity in the opening exchanges.

That intensity created a scrappy and awkward opening 20 minutes, during which the Socceroos steadily gained the upper hand, playing most of the game in Tunisia's half.

The victory puts Australia firmly in the frame to progress from Group D despite their heavy first up defeat, with Euro 2020 semifinalists Denmark waiting on Thursday.