Germany v Australia Mon 14 6.30am

Germany v Australia Mon 14 6.30am

TEAM NEWS

Germany coach Joachim Loew is likely to stick with out-of-form Mirolsav Klose ahead of Cacau in the lone striker's role. New Manchester City signing Jerome Boateng is expected to play alongside Per Metersacker at the heart of the Germany defence and Sami Khedira will step into Michael Ballack's place in central midfield.
Australia are waiting to see if Tim Cahill will be fit after a neck injury that has forced him to train alone this week. Harry Kewell has overcome his groin problem and will spearhead a likely 4-5-1 formation. Jason Culina is set to win his 50th cap.

MATCH PREVIEW
At their World Cup debut in 1974, a callow Australia side were outclassed 2-0 by East Germany and then 3-0 against West Germany. Thirty-six years on and the Socceroos are a much different proposition. The Berlin Wall has long since come down, but Germany could find themselves trying to break through another immovable object in their clash on Sunday.
Pim Verbeek's side will create a Green and Gold wall in Durban made up of a first-choice back four, plus goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who have amassed 288 caps between them. Their style of defensive football is not pretty, and has certainly not impressed Germany coach Joachim Loew: "Australia can be expected to offer anything but a great spectacle," he said somewhat acidly this week.
Loew must have concerns over how he is going to break the Aussies down, given the slump in form of star striker Miroslav Klose. The Bayern Munich forward has 10 World Cup goals to his name, but his powers appear to be on the wane.
This is the youngest squad the Germans have sent to a World Cup for 76 years. Only three players are over the age of 30 and there are five members of the side who won the 2009 Under-21 European Championship in the squad. Most expect the German young legs to beat the Aussie old heads, but don't be surprised if it's not pretty to watch.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Germany and Australia have met on two previous occasions. Their first meeting came at the 1974 World Cup and West Germany enjoyed a 3-0 victory. They met again in Germany at the 2005 Confederations Cup and the home side again won 4-3.
Germany
- The Germans have won their last five opening matches at a World Cup.
- Germany are quick to get into their stride in their opening game at a World Cup having thrashed Belgium 5-2 in 1934, Turkey 4-1 in 1954, Switzerland 5-0 in 1966, Yugoslavia 4-1 in 1990, Saudi Arabia 8-0 in 2002 and Costa Rica 4-2 in 2006.
- Only once in their 17 World Cup games against sides from outside Europe or South America, have either Germany or West Germany lost (2-1 v Algeria in 1982).
- Since USA '94, Germany are unbeaten in their 12 group stage matches.
Australia
- In both of their previous two World Cup appearances they have lost to the eventual champions (Germany in 1974 and Italy in 2006).
- The Socceroos' defeat to USA on 5 June was only their second defeat in their last 14 matches.
- The three goals they conceded against the States was the most they have let in since Pim Verbeek took over in February 2008.

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)
Assistants: Jose Luis Camargo (Mexico) and Alberto Morin (Mexico)
Fourth official: Martin Hansson (Sweden)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_08/default.stmEverton FC2010-06-13 13:54:14

Looking forward to this.

COME ON GERMANY!!!

Also looking forward to it

COME   ON   AUSTRALIA



hepatitis2010-06-13 14:13:07

This one's too easy.  Deutschland uber Ockers

You could of picked several million Oz chicks hotter than that...thing.

Indeed, but where would the fun be in that ?

Hot chicks to stare at before kick off?

think this game is going to be the best of the night, the others don't seem to interest me too much, don't get me wrong, i still going to watch them, but compared to last night, tonight isn't as good

Will watch this one, but record the other two. Serbia v Ghana should be good but I need the sleep having watched every other game live and school tomorrow!

DEUTSCHLAND FTW

Go the Aussies.

No Bresciano apparently, Culina to move to the wing and Valeri to play DM. Emerton fit which is fantastic news.

excellent representative of australia: the Vince Grella of aussie politics -terrifyingly so

Carn 'straya.

vier und funfzig, vier und siebzig, neunzig, zweitausend zehn!

COME ON GERMANY

Surely you can't claim 1945 - even 1918 is debatable

Even 1966 was debatable, but the record book stands.

She's English now anyway.

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSI!
OI OI OI!

/obligatory

I hate  the German team, hope Shweinsteiger gets a Grella special, then Grella gets one, then Germany win, by a sliver, 1-0, I hate The Socceroos more, what a stupid name.

my stream's stopped - anyone got one?

1-0 Germany!!! Podolski!!!

On canadaian tv they are calling australia  waltzing matilda as a nickname.

Found a stream, missed the goal. Glass is half full.

Germany are playing like Germans

Very entertaining from Germany.

2 - 0 Ze Germans

Listening with a SPanish commentary GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL

Klose header, how typical. Shocking keeping too mind. 2-0.

Cahill up front, oh, and ARF !

thought Kewell was supposed to be fine?

Germany are finding bigger holes than a 50 year old prosty

Aussie bringing on a sub soon

Brownie would have had that.

geez its good to watch

I thought Australia looked good at the start and have continued to while on attack in patches, but their defence is rubbish. Germany are find space everywhere and are looking tight. They might be without a few big names and everyone else is out of form but they could go all the way. That's my analyse after 41min28secs of this game.