Australia undaunted by classy Chile

Image
AFP Cuiaba (Brazil)
Last Updated : Jun 12 2014 | 10:35 AM IST
World Cup outsiders Australia are aiming to punch above their weight and give a Chile side choc-a-bloc with talent a bloody nose here tomorrow.
The two Group B protagonists are worlds apart in FIFA's rankings -- Chile are 14 with Australia down at 62 -- so the South Americans are heavy favourites to sweep aside the Socceroos and get their campaign off to the perfect start.
The odds may be stacked against them, but Australia, unshackled by any smidgen of pressure, are not short of self-belief ahead of this clash against a team they held to a goalless draw on their World Cup debut in 1974.
"We don't care who we're up against," said Swiss-based attacking midfielder Dario Vidosic.
"There can be 11 Ronaldos or Messis out there. We want to make everybody proud back home. We've worked very hard to get to this stage.
"We've got three guaranteed games and we're just going to give it everything that we can to get out of the group stage."
Coach Ange Postecoglou's largely transitional side is skippered by Crystal Palace's Mile Jedinak and features experienced duo Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano.
The Aussies laid down a marker of their intent in a battling single goal defeat to fellow finalists Croatia in their last warm-up.
Alex Wilkinson, who played a part against Croatia, hopes he's done enough to make it on to Postecoglou's starting XI.
Wilkinson hinted that Chile could be in for a surprise.
"They're expecting us to be physical and we will be physical -- but we also want to show them we can play football as well," said the player with South Korean outfit Jeonbuk Motors.
- Vidal key for Chile -
=======================
Despite the infectious enthusiasm emanating from the Aussie camp the serious money on Friday is on Chile.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 12 2014 | 10:35 AM IST

Next Story