Cahill looking good for Cup opener - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Cahill looking good for Cup opener

By Guy Hand 11/06/2010 05:43:47 AM Comments (0)

Socceroos midfielder Tim Cahill looks to have overcome a neck injury and is expected to line up in Australia's World Cup opener against Germany on Sunday (Mon AEST) in Durban.

Cahill said he trained fully with the Socceroos on Wednesday and was expected to do so against on Thursday at a closed session.

"I don't want to focus on injuries, and if the game was on tomorrow, I'd be there," Cahill said on Thursday.

"I'm training fully again today so I'm very confident that if selected I'll be able to play on the weekend."

Midfielder Brett Emerton, who had been battling a calf injury, has also declared himself fit.

It means coach Pim Verbeek would have just one major selection call to make for the match - either starting with Josh Kennedy or risking Harry Kewell as the lone striker.

Kennedy, who played for several seasons in Germany, appears most likely to get the nod, with Kewell expected to be injected off the bench.

Much of the two closed training sessions are believed to be about working on tactical shape and set-pieces - with defender Luke Wilkshire the key.

Wilkshire's set-pieces and right-sided crosses have led to goals in friendly matches and he has easily been the team's most consistent performer in a patchy lead-in to the tournament.

He has been able to tame the wild Jabulani World Cup ball to create goals for Cahill against the United States and Kennedy versus Denmark.

Meanwhile, Hollywood star John Travolta arrived in South Africa on Thursday and will meet with the Socceroos on Friday at their luxurious base camp at Kloofzicht Lodge, near Johannesburg.

Travolta has had a long-running association with the Socceroos since their remarkable World Cup qualification in Sydney in 2005, and is involved with their major sponsor Qantas as a company ambassador.

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