Socceroos face deciding game

The Socceroos are preparing to face off against Serbia in a game that will decide whether they stay in the World Cup.

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The Socceroos are preparing to face off against Serbia in a game that will decide whether they stay in the World Cup.

It is understood Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek will use striker Josh Kennedy to give his side an attacking focal point in place of suspended Harry Kewell, while Michael Beauchamp, who impressed during the 2010 World Cup warm-up matches, will replace Craid Moore and earn his 22nd cap with his debut World Cup appearance.

Elsewhere, Tim Cahill returns to the starting line-up at the expense of Brett Holman, who impressed against Ghana and netted the Socceroos' only goal of the tournament so far.

Meanwhile David Carney retains his position at left back, with Scott Chipperfield and Brett Holman understood to be used as attacking options in the second half.

Australia must beat Serbia to have any hope of progressing beyond the group stage.

They also need either Ghana to beat Germany by any margin, or Germany to hammer Ghana by enough to redress a poor goal difference equation in the Socceroos' favour.

'We're not whingers'

Meanwhile, skipper Lucas Neill has denied the Socceroos are a team of whingers.

Australia's two successive World Cup red cards - and coach Pim Verbeek and his players' criticism of the decisions - has led to suggestions the Socceroos complain too much when things don't go their way.

But on the eve of the match against Serbia, Neill launched a strenuous defence of the Socceroos.

"Every single player went out of that dressing room the other day, and took it on the chin," Neill said about the decision to send Harry Kewell off in the 1-1 draw with Ghana at the weekend.

"My quote (after the match) was: 'We didn't get a big decision go our way'. That's not whinging, that's just the way it is.

"Australia's never been a team that whinges, and we don't ever want to be regarded as a team that whinges.

"Did we whinge when we went down to 10 men? No. We took it on the chin, stood up and probably could have won the game.

"That's not a team that whinges. A team that whinges would have lost three or four-nil, and then come in complaining about the ref."


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Source: SBS, AAP

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