CROATIA v AUSTRALIA - MATCH PREVIEW
Andy Morgan

Group F Permutations

Brazil have already qualified and will finish top of the group if they win or draw against Japan. If Brazil lose and Australia win then the Antipodeans will finish top if a three goal goal-difference is made up. If Croatia beat Austraila they will leap-frog them into second place. If Croatia and Australia draw and Japan win then Japan will finish second if a two goal goal-difference is made up. If Croatia and Australia draw but Japan fail too win then Australia will qualify as runners-up.

Croatia v Australia

The more interesting tie of the day is arguably Croatia versus Australia in Stuttgart. Both teams go into this knowing that a win will definitely secure their place in the Second Round at the expense of the other. A draw is no use to Croatia and may be of little tonic to the Aussies too if Japan do the unlikely and stick two past Brazil.

For Croatia lynchpin defender Robert Kovac is suspended and will be sorely missed from a backline that has to deal with the threat of Australia's Tim Kahill, Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka. With fifty-one caps the Croatian's will miss Kovac's experience. They are likely to move Stjepan Tomas to right-back and start with Dario Simic in place of Kovac. This is a good like-for-like swap as the AC Milan centre-back is more experienced than the man he is replacing. His pace however is suspect (as is Kovac's) and this may be their undoing against a super-fluid Australian attack.

Rangers' frontman Dado Prso will be partnered by Ivica Olic in an attacking formation that underlines Croatia's need to win the game. Werder Bremen's Ivan Klasnic has failed to impress for the European side and makes way for a striker who is actually less prolific than he is, with six goals in thirty-three. This may smack as desperate but Croatia are yet to score in this Tournament and Olic is worth his chance. That is not for the want of trying however. They were unlucky against Brazil and suicidal against Japan, missing many guilt-edged opportunites that included a Dario Srna penalty.

The Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder has been the most influential player for the European side and his form is critical if they are to get the result they need out of this game. It is just a matter of time however before they will score although neither attacker is particularly prolific, with only eight and five goals respectively going into this World Cup.

Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar is confident that his side can win this game, knowing that their destiny is still in their own hands on the final day of the Group. He will take confidence over their creativity against Japan and their lack of luck against the World Champions to stake a claim for a berth in the last sixteen. They will have to adopt an attacking formation and this may be too the Australian's advantage as their strengths come from their attacking midfield players.

Harry Kewell is a world-class player and will be aiming to hurt the Croatians with the power of his left foot. In combination with the movement of Tim Cahill, who opened his World Cup account against Japan, and Parma's Marco Bresciano the creative players of Australia are up there with some of the best in the world. Their combination together can hurt the Croatians and they must be on their guard if they are to keep a clean sheet here.

The same can be said for the Australian's however. They have conceded three goals in two games so far and it is hard to see them keeping a clean sheet here, despite Croatia's lack of scoring so far. The form of Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is vital, particularly when it is considered that Crystal Palace's Tony Popovic, one of their most experienced defenders is sidelined with a calf injury. They too will shuffle their defence like the Croatians will, with Brett Emerton moving to right-back to make way for Lucas Neill. The two Blackburn Rovers players have considerable big match experience for their countries, with over sixty-five caps between them.

Australia coach Gus Hiddink has explicitly stated that he has no intention of going out for the draw, playing to his side's attacking strengths. Qualification is seen as vital in Australia to safeguard and enhance the reputation of Australian football that can set up a permanently competitive Australian national football side.

The interesting fact with respect to this game is that seven of Australia's players are of Croatian decent and this will be a major spur for those players. The most high-profile player of this ilk is Middlesbrough's Mark Viduka and Kranjcar has identified him as being a major threat. Galatasary's Stjepan Tomas may have the unenviable job of marking the frontman as the Croatian's seek to nullify the threat before lauching counter-attacks of their own. With nearly fifty caps, Tomas is certainly experienced enough to fulfill his duty. If he can then expect the Croatian's to score a victory here.

SELECTION OF ODDS FOR CROATIA v AUSTRALIA. MANY MORE ON THE MATCH COUPON

Croatia 13/10
Draw 11/5
Australia 21/10

Croatia 1-0 11/2
Croatia 2-0 7/1
Croatia 2-1 15/2
Croatia 3-0 20/1

Australia 1-0 7/1
Australia 2-0 12/1
Australia 2-1 10/1
Australia 3-0 40/1

BACK TO WORLD CUP INDEX PAGE