Socceroos coach Tony Popovic pulled off a great selection shock by dropping Australia’s veteran captain Maty Ryan to debut a young gun who proved to be the match hero.

Patrick Beach had two days to dwell on dislodging Ryan as Australia’s starting goalkeeper before he turned in a World Cup debut for the ages in the Socceroos’ shock 2-0 win over Turkey.

Beach pulled off eight saves — more than any other Socceroo at a World Cup — in one of the great goalkeeping performances at Vancouver’s BC Place.

Supporters celebrate after the Aussies score their second goal against Turkey. Photo: AAP

Those included a stunning fingertip save to turn Abdulkerim Bardakci’s fierce first-half strike onto the post, and a diving effort to deny Real Madrid star Arda Guler’s second-half dipping free kick.

“A couple of days ago the boss and keeper coach pulled me aside and told me that I’d be playing,” Beach said.

“(They said) that I’d been performing really well, they have confidence in me, and that gave me all the confidence I needed to get out there and do my job.

“It was amazing. This is a dream come true.”

In the process, Beach, like Nestory Irankunda and Paul Okon-Engstler, vindicated Popovic’s faith — and will surely hold his spot for Friday’s clash with the United States.

“They were maybe shocks for a lot of people, but not shocks within our playing group or staff,” Popovic said of his selection decision.

“It’s something that we’ve always seen, and I’ve got a lot of belief in the young man.

“He stood up today, so very happy for him.”

There were 10 World Cup debutants — with Harry Souttar the exception — in Australia’s youngest ever starting line-up at such a tournament, with an average age of 24.6.

A scared Nestory Irankunda batted away nerves to explode on to the World Cup stage.

Irankunda became Australia’s youngest World Cup scorer with a wonderful goal in the 27th minute among a magical, explosive hour, before Connor Metcalfe sealed victory with a glorious solo effort in the 75th.

“It’s epic. It’s unreal. Like, it’s a dream come true,” Irankunda told SBS.

Irankunda later added to media: “That’s just what our team is all about: we fight for each other, and we just want to show the world that we can do something special

“A lot of people don’t believe in us, but we have to believe in ourselves, and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.

“I didn’t think I would score on my debut, but I knew one day … that I was going to score in a World Cup, and it came so quick.”

The win sets up an enthralling clash with co-hosts the United States, who beat Paraguay 4-1 and lead Group D ahead of Australia, in Seattle on Friday.

But there will be one concern, with striker Mohamed Toure pulling up sore in his left calf.

Irankunda was “super nervous” in the lead-up to the match.

“I was struggling to sleep when I first found out that I was going to be starting,” he said.

“It’s a very nerve-racking moment, knowing that you’re going to be starting in a World Cup in the opening game, and I was a bit scared.”

Socceroos staff calmed a “scared” Irankunda down in the warm-up, and Popovic also spoke to him at the first drinks break about keeping his head.

“That’s what they told me to do: go out there, have some fun, and we had a lot of fun today,” Irankunda said.

Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu had incensed the Australians by saying Turkey were a more talented team.

“They came, they did their talking, but they couldn’t back up on the field, and we got the win at the end of the day,” Irankunda said.

“Obviously that gave us fire in our belly.

“It obviously did piss off a few boys, but at the end of the day, these guys can talk all their shit, so we don’t really care.”

-with AAP