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Aussies face Bahrain today

DOHA - Australia only need a point to qualify for the Asian Cup quarter-finals but coach Holger Osieck wants to see a comprehensive victory against Bahrain on Tuesday.

By (AFP)

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Published: Tue 18 Jan 2011, 12:06 AM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 7:12 PM

After a 4-0 thrashing of India and a quality 1-1 draw with South Korea, the Socceroos’ fate is in their own hands.

But Bahrain will also be pushing hard to win, knowing that a draw or defeat will see them on the next plane home regardless of what happens in the other Group C game between South Korea and India.

“It is the decisive game for us in the group. We have played well so far and everything has turned out as expected with the final decision in our group played out in the third game,” Osieck said Monday.

“We have put our fate in our own hands. If we perform well and put on a good show then we can definitely achieve our aim.”

The German, who took over from Dutchman Pim Verbeek after the World Cup in South Africa, said he wasn’t concerned about the tactics Bahrain might deploy to ensure the Gulf side go through, only about his own plans.

And he is not ready to settle for a draw.

“We don’t want to consider anything but victory as being good enough. If you play tactical games you can lose your strength and your direction. We are going out to win,” he said.

The team has been sweating on the fitness of three key players — Luke Wilkshire (groin), Jason Culina (knee) and David Carney (shoulder) — but Osieck said they should all be ready to play.

“Yes, we had some knocks and bruises in the last game, but we have an excellent medical staff and they have been working round the clock and it is still very likely that we will have everyone ready for the Bahrain game.”

Australia are currently top of the group on goal difference from South Korea and if that remains the case, then the Socceroos will likely avoid a dangerous Iran in the last eight, giving them even more incentive to get a big win.

Bahrain though are coming off a morale-boosting 5-2 win over India, in which Ismaeel Abdulatif claimed four goals, and coach Salman Sharida believes their performances so far demonstrate that they are capable of an upset.

“We know the match is very important and we really want to win it as it is decisive,” said the former international.

“We know the capabilities of the Australian team but we also have capabilities of our own and we will try to find a way to reach their goal and win.”

Buoyed by a phone call from Bahraini King Hamad wishing them well, the team are all too aware of what they need to do and would not be intimidated by a side that features household names like Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer.

“We have to win, it’s as simple as that,” said Sharida, who has only been in the job for two months after Austrian Josef Hickersberger quit to return to his previous club Al Wahda of United Arab Emirates.

“We have had many injuries and they got worse in the last few days, but the players I have are enough and are capable of doing the job.

“We know the Australian players — we have played them several times before. We know their capabilities and are very much prepared. We do not fear them at all, even though many of them play in European countries.”