Socceroos upbeat despite losing Cahill - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Socceroos upbeat despite losing Cahill

By Guy Hand 16/06/2010 04:16:52 AM Comments (0)

Despite Tim Cahill's one-match World Cup ban looking likely to be confirmed in the next 48 hours, the Socceroos remain confident they can win their remaining two matches and stay alive in the tournament.

Cahill's fate will be decided by FIFA's disciplinary committee either on Wednesday or Thursday (South African time).

While he is guaranteed a one-match ban, the committee does have the right to up the ban to two games and possibly end his World Cup if it decides the challenge on German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger which earned a send-off was bad enough.

That is understood to be highly unlikely, with a one-match ban only set to rule Cahill out of the Socceroos' clash with Ghana in Rustenberg on Saturday and freeing him for the final Group D game against Serbia in Nelspruit on June 23.

Also a concern is that three Australians - captain Lucas Neill, defender Craig Moore and midfielder Carl Valeri - are on yellow cards and would be suspended for the Serbia match if they catch another booking against Ghana.

Moore made no secret he would not be holding back against Ghana, who beat Serbia 1-0 in their opening match and can secure a second stage berth if they defeat Australia.

"Both of those games are now grand finals for us," he said.

"After a game like the one against Germany you just want to get out there and try to put things right as soon as possible."

And defender Luke Wilkshire said: "There are six points still to play for and two games we must win.

"As professionals we know what it's all about.

"We need to be up for it. We've definitely got the character and the spirit in the team.

"We know we can do better and we are going to be fighting to the end."

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