Socceroos face tough ask

19/06/2010 12:47 PM
Paul Gough in Johannesburg
Sportal

Australia's already difficult task to make it through to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the second time in succession has just got a whole lot harder following Serbia's stunning 1-0 win over Germany.

Not only did Serbia's superb victory put into context just how bad the Socceroos were in their opening game when they were trounced 4-0 by the three-time winner but it also ensures Australia will face a fired-up Serbian team with everything to play for in their final group game.

While those looking on the bright side of things will say that thanks to Serbia's win over Germany there is a chance that Australia could even now top the group by beating both Ghana in Rustenburg on Saturday, and Serbia in Nelspruit on Wednesday, in their final two group matches, the more realistic evaluation of the Germany-Serbia result is that the Socceroos are by far the worst team in Group D.

Remember Germany had been hailed as tournament favourite following its clinical demolition of the Socceroos in Durban last Sunday on the same day that Serbia went down to Ghana 1-0 in the other opening-round match in Group D.

However that form simply did not stand up in the second round of matches and that is what should be truly worrying for Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek right now.

If Serbia can do that to Germany after losing to Ghana, then what hope for the Socceroos in their next two matches - particularly with our most prolific scorer of recent times Tim Cahill suspended for the Ghana match and midfield enforcer Vince Grella out with a knee injury?

Had Germany beaten Serbia then the Serbs would have been out of contention to finish in the top two in the group and would have had little motivation against Australia in their final group game.

That would have meant that a win over Ghana on Saturday and the Socceroos may well have had one foot in the second round given they would have then been expected to beat a demoralised Serbia in the final game.

But now Radomir Antic's team could not be on a bigger high as it joins Germany and Ghana on three points while the Australians remain pointless and with a negative four-goal difference.

And while Serbia was helped by the sending-off of star German striker Miroslav Klose in the 37th minute, following two yellow cards for tackles from behind, Serbia - which topped its group ahead of France and Romania in qualifying - was full value for its win.

The goal which decided the game came just a minute after Klose's sending-off when Milan Jovanovic prodded home with his left foot following a great knockdown from giant Serb striker Nikola Zigic after a great run and cross down the right from Milos Krasic.

And while Germany missed a penalty - a huge shock in itself - to throw away the chance of equalising in the second half after Serbia's Manchester United-based star defender Nemanja Vidic handled in the box, Serbia easily could have won given it then hit the post twice through Jovanovic and Zigic as Germany looked rattled.

It was a far cry from the German team that did as it pleased against Australia and the only positive to come out of Serbia turning the form book in Group D on its head is that the Socceroos now could finish second in the group and reach the round of 16 by merely drawing with Ghana and beating Serbia.

Even then, however, they would still have to rely on Ghana beating Germany - and how often do the Germans lose two football matches in a row?

On the indicators so far, the Socceroos will be flat out taking a single point from their three Group D matches.

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