‘Slapped 100 times’: Leckie’s hilarious response to goal as Arnie’s full-time message revealed
Leckie #Leckie
Socceroos hero Mathew Leckie has given a rundown of his incredible goal that sent Australia into the final 16 of the World Cup.
The player of the match spoke to the world’s media after his60th minute goal sealed Australia’s 1-0 win against Denmark.
He becomes just the ninth Australian to score at a men’s World Cup, and joins Mitchell Duke and Craig Goodwin as 2022 World Cup scorers.
It was an incredible solo goal where Leckie turned Denmark’s Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen inside out.
Duke fed Riley McGree, who released winger Leckie. Leckie looked around, but was all alone so went on his own.
But let’s let him take it from here.
“On this one occasion, we were on the ball and it was obviously a counter attack,” Leckie explained.
“First I wanted to cut inside and he sort of went that way. And just in the moment went left again and swung my left boot and just saw the ball rolling in. I was excited and happy.
“In the celebration you saw the emotion. I didn’t know what to do, I was just pounding my chest.
“Once the boys got together, the whole bench was there and I think I got slapped in the head a hundred times.
“The team we are, if you’re starting or on the bench or not getting any game time everyone is here for each other.”
The goal couldn’t have come at a better time. Just a minute earlier in the other Group D game Tunisia had scored against France, meaning Australia couldn’t rely on a draw.
“I had no idea,” Leckie said about the Tunisia goal.
“Arnie said in the press conference yesterday we have no control of what happens in the other game, If we don’t win today we’re out. We went out with the mentality, we wanted to win.”
Leckie, who was inspired by Australia making the second round in 2006, hopes this Socceroos squad can motivate a new generation in Australia.
Abs-olutely sensational. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP)Source: AFP
Leckie also revealed what Socceroos coach Graham Arnold told the players after full-time.
“We were all super stoked, buzzing, screaming, a lot of nonsense, so much emotion,” he said about the moment the full-time whistle was blown.
“We want to dream big, the key was when we came to this tournament we wanted to get out of the group.
“Arnie, the first thing he said after the game was let’s go one more. We have one less day now to prepare, so the most important thing is to get ourselves ready.”