Socceroos flaunt underdog tag

If the football gods offered the Socceroos a draw in Sunday's World Cup opener against Germany they would snap it up right now.

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"Yes, we would take it," Australian captain Lucas Neill said without hesitation when the proposition was put to him.

"Nobody in the world, apart from our team, expects us to beat them."

Sunday's game all important

As the Socceroos enjoyed their first full day relaxing at their new camp, the luxurious Kloofzicht game lodge 50 kilometres outside Johannesburg, Neill said it was important not to lose Sunday's first game in Durban.

"If we draw it means other results can go for us and against us and we've still got everything in our own hands," he said.

"If we manage to win, we will shock the world."

Midfielder Mark Bresciano was quick to agree with his captain.

"Yes, yes, I would definitely take it (a draw)," he said.

"Germany are a very hard team to beat so a draw would be a massive result for us.

"It would be a very positive start, knowing we would then have two games to go (against Ghana and Serbia) to try to scrape a win.

"Getting any result, apart from a loss, would be good."

Neill may be engaging in some gamesmanship when he says some of the younger Socceroos probably have posters of Germany's heroes on their bedroom walls.

But his comments indicate the magnitude of Australia's task against a nation which has won the World Cup three times and shares with Brazil the record of seven finals appearances.

Strikers role still a worry

With Tim Cahill over the effects of a neck injury, and Brett Emerton expected to be fully fit despite a troublesome calf, coach Pim Verbeek's only real selection issue appears to be the striker's job.

He has five days to decide whether to play big Josh Kennedy up front or the underdone Harry Kewell.

Many observers speculate he will bring Kewell off the bench in the second half, depending on how the game is going.

Socceroos use Jones news as spur

The Socceroos are still smarting over the sad news of a family illness which forced reserve goalkeeper Brad Jones to quit the World Cup camp.

But they are trying to use the incident to spur them on to greater heights.

They are also delighted to be out of the big smoke and into the peaceful surrounds of their safari lodge.

They have also solved their training pitch problems at nearby Ruimsig, whose sandy surface cut up badly in their warm-up games against Denmark and the US.

They will now alternate between Ruimsig and St Stithians College in suburban Johannesburg, the ground they had purpose-built for their early arrival in South Africa.


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Source: AAP

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