Patrick Beach and Mathew Ryan were taken by surprise when Australia coach Tony Popovic executed a goalkeeper substitution just before a penalty-kick shootout against Egypt on Friday.

“You have to talk to the coaches about that,” Beach told reporters post-match. “I found out at the same time you guys did.

“Obviously there was a plan that was put in place, and it wasn’t for us to know about.”

Popovic defended that decision as well as his choice to tap 18-year-old defender Lucas Herrington with the match on the line after Egypt eliminated the Socceroos from the World Cup in the round of 32.

Egypt and Australia played to a 1-1 draw before the Pharaohs went 4-for-4 from the spot while Australia missed their first and fourth attempts in the shootout. Australia were vying for their first World Cup knockout victory in national team history.

When it was evident the match would require penalties, Popovic pulled out Beach in favor of Ryan. Beach had made three saves, including a last-second parry over the bar of Egypt’s potential game-winner during second-half stoppage. But Ryan is the national team’s captain and former No. 1 choice in net.

Ryan failed to stop a single attempt. He guessed the wrong direction for the last three.

“It didn’t work, so we can look at many things in the reasons behind it, but with Matty’s experience and, I think, if you looked at his record in saving penalties, Patrick is new as a goalkeeper not just with the national team, but even in club football,” Popovic said, citing the 22-year-old Beach’s lack of big-game experience. “We just felt that Matty’s experience will be the difference. In the end, it didn’t work out that way, but not because of Matty’s poor judgment or lack of ability. They took really good penalties.”

Beach went on to say he and Ryan “are here to do the job of whatever works best for the team” and he felt nothing but respect for Popovic. Ryan revealed that he, too, was caught by surprise.

“No, no, (I wasn’t told) before the match,” Ryan said in the mixed zone. “Just as extra time was beginning, (teammate Paul Izzo) and I got told to warm up and the first time I got told was five minutes before half time of extra time, that if we weren’t going to make any more subs then right at the end they were gonna put me in there.”

As for the other end of the pitch, Popovic caught heat from fans and analysts for his choice of penalty takers. He had subbed out two potential options, Nestory Irankunda and Cristian Volpato.

Defender Harry Souttar went first and cleared his shot into the stands. Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabli went on to convert to keep Australia’s hopes alive, but then Popovic chose another defender in the teenaged Herrington, who plays for Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids.

He clanged his shot off the crossbar before Egypt potted their fourth straight goal to win the shootout.

Popovic answered defensively when a reporter asked about the decision to tap Herrington.

“I’m sure you’d be saying something else if the young kid scored,” he said. “You’d probably be sitting there saying how wonderful it is that an 18-year-old took the penalty and scored.

“I trust him to play in a game that we needed to get a result against Paraguay, and a game where elimination was on the line. What’s the difference with a penalty?”

Herrington admitted “a lot of people would be wondering why I stepped up” to the spot.

“The coaching staff, the team, had my back,” Herrington said. “I was confident, so I knew where I wanted to put it, I did my routine and just unfortunately didn’t go my way. So I’ll keep working on it, keep working hard and hopefully come back.”

–Field Level Media

Matt Olson emphatically ended a 16-game homerless streak Friday with pair of solo shots to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 5-3 win over the visiting New York Mets in the opener of a four-game series.

It was Olson’s second multi-home run game of the season and the 27th of his career. He raised his total to a team-high 22 homers this season.

The Braves had only five hits and four left the park. Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies also homered for Atlanta.

Grant Holmes (5-4) went five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk, striking out two. Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI single to Bo Bichette in the ninth but earned his 17th save.

New York starter Christian Scott (2-1) worked four innings and allowed three runs on two hits and four walks, with seven strikeouts.

The Mets fell a season-worst 16 games below .500.

The Braves broke through in the second inning when Harris hit a two-run homer, his 15th. Harris had saved a run in the top of the first when he robbed Carson Benge of an extra-base hit by making a long running catch.

The Mets tied it in the third on an opposite-field home run by Juan Soto, his 18th of the season and 27th of his career against the Braves.

Albies put the Braves on top again in the third with a solo homer, his 14th, for a 3-2 lead.

Atlanta got another run in the fifth inning when Olson hit a solo homer to the right-center-field seats. The homer came against reliever A.J. Minter and ended a streak of 25 consecutive scoreless appearances by the left-hander. It was the first earned run the former Brave has allowed this season.

Olson hit another solo homer in the eighth off Kodai Senga.

–Field Level Media

Forward Folarin Balogun disagreed with the red-card ruling that will see him miss the United States’ World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium, and he admitted to experiencing a range of emotions since being sent off.

In the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday in Inglewood, Calif., Balogun scored his third goal of the tournament in the first half before receiving a second-half red card for his tackle on Tarik Muharemovic.

No foul was called against Balogun originally, but a video review led to the referee sending him off.

Speaking Friday in Seattle, where the U.S. will oppose Belgium on Monday, Balogun said, “I’ve seen many different opinions and takes. For me personally, I think a yellow card would have been fair. It’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward and I have to accept it. But the most important thing is just to focus on the bigger picture, which is Belgium.”

He added of the aftermath of the red card, “It’s been a roller coaster. There’s been lots of different emotions. I’ve been upset. I’ve been happy. It’s been surreal, to be honest. But for me, I think it was just important to stay calm. I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion.

“There’s still lots of people we’re inspiring, little kids, boys and girls who are watching, and we have to show them the correct way to handle things even when you think it’s unjust.

“So I felt I did that. And as I said, I’m happy with the support, not just that I’m receiving, but the team. And I think we’re all looking forward to seeing what we can do against Belgium.”

As for how the U.S. will cope against Belgium while missing their top scorer in the event, midfielder Tyler Adams said, “When you miss a player like (Balogun), obviously things change a little bit, but we’ve been flexible. Guys have shown that they’re ready to play. …

“If it’s (Ricardo) Pepi, if it’s Haji (Wright filling in for Balogun), if they go a different direction, who knows? I’m not the coach. But yeah, it should be an exciting opportunity for everybody.”

The USMNT were officially notified that Balogun’s suspension is the standard one match, so Balogun would be able to return to action in the quarterfinals against Spain or Portugal on July 10 in Inglewood should the U.S. win on Monday.

–Field Level Media