The Socceroos will face Egypt in the round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup, after Belgium's 5-1 win over New Zealand and the Pharaohs' dramatic 1-1 draw with Iran saw them fall to second-place in Group G on goal difference.
Securing second-place in Group D and a place in the knockout stages after their 0-0 draw with Paraguay the day prior, the Socceroos sat down on Friday not knowing who they would face in Dallas, Texas, on July 3, with all four of the Belgians and Kiwis, as well as Iran and Egypt, able to finish second depending on results.
Their opponent changed a staggering seven times over the course of the evening, and three times in the final 10 minutes of the two games.
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Belgium first supplanted the Iranians for second when Mahmoud Saber put Egypt ahead after just five minutes, it reverting to Team Melli when Ramin Rezaeian equalised, it going back to the Europeans when Leandro Trossard put them ahead, and Egypt then falling into the slot when Kevin De Bruyne gave the Red Devils a three-goal lead. Elijah Just's 84th-minute goal to make it 3-1 briefly saw Egypt move back atop the group on goals scored, only for Romelu Lukaku to come off the bench and make it 4-1 just two minutes later.
It was almost eight when Shoja Khalilzadeh netted in the 93rd minute for Iran, seemingly setting up a first meeting between the Socceroos and Iranians for the first time since their famous intercontinental World Cup qualification playoff in 1997, only for VAR intervention to rule the goal out for offside. Amir Ghalenoei's side also hit the woodwork twice in added time but couldn't find a winner.
While both Belgium and Egypt finished the group stage undefeated with five points, the Europeans' thumping win over the Kiwis saw them finish with a goal difference of +3, securing them top of the group and setting up a meeting with a third-place finisher, likely South Korea or Senegal, in Seattle on July 1.
Finishing their group stage slate with three draws, meanwhile, despite the significant challenges the team and its support staff have faced in preparing for and playing their games in the United States, Iran is also likely to advance to the knockouts as one of the best third-placed sides, likely facing Switzerland in Vancouver on July 2.
Australia and Egypt have faced each other just twice in "A" internationals and just once in the 21st century: the Socceroos suffering a 3-0 defeat against the then-African champions in Cairo thanks to goals from Ahmed Abdelzaher, Gedo, and Mohamed Zidan.
"We'll be watching the games, that's for sure," Socceroo defender Aziz Behich said earlier on Friday. "It's exciting; you find out your opponents, and you're watching a game of football, but you're watching it pretty comfortably, because you're into the next round already.
"Who we come up against doesn't really bother me. I always say there's no easy game at the international level, let alone a World Cup. They're all going to present their own challenges, whoever it is."