Harry Souttar was on the scoresheet in controversial circumstances as Australia beat New Zealand, but he was happier with the clean sheet.
Australia stayed in England for their second game in three days as they faced New Zealand at the GTEC Community Stadium.
The Aussies were able to secure a 2-0 win over their rivals with Souttar scoring his seventh goal for his country.
The Leicester man took the acclaim but Mitchell Duke was certain that the goal was his.
Souttar’s Goal Controversy
The goal looks clear-cut in real-time. Alessandro Circati heads it down and Duke smashes it past Michael Wood in the All-Whites goal.
On closer inspection the ball deflects off Souttar and into the net, meaning it was the centre-back’s name on the scoresheet.
Duke wasn’t best pleased: “They’ve said they put it as your goal on the match sheet. But they were all agreeing that maybe it was my goal?”
Win more important for Souttar
Duke disputed the decision but Souttar backed his own claim to take the goal as his own.
Discussing his reasoning, he said: “From a distance, it probably looks like his goal. If you watch the replay fully carefully, the trajectory of the ball moves.”
In spite of all this he was more focused on the result, he added: “To be honest, I don’t care who’s taking the goal. At the end of the day, we won.”
It is clear that as long as the result goes their way, the Socceroos don’t care about who scores.
With that being said, Duke wasn’t giving up on his claim: “Honestly, I feel like I definitely deserve to get it, but it is what it is.”
It is clear that there is a competitive mindset within the squad. At present, it appears to be serving them well moving forward.
After a narrow defeat to England, the Aussies have bounced back straight away.
This was a key thing for Souttar: “We won the game, that’s all that matters. We kept a clean sheet. We banter about it, but genuinely it doesn’t matter who scored the goal.”
Great mindset and attitude from the Leicester man who will look to impress Enzo Maresca upon his return to the King Power.