Australia's World Cup 'final'

The World Cup final takes place in Berlin on July 9. Australia's World Cup final takes place in Kaiserslautern on Monday.

That, at least, is the way the Socceroos are approaching their knife-edge opening match against Japan.

They know they can't afford to lose, but they also know they must strive for victory.

It's not just their first appearance on football's biggest stage in 32 years; it's their best chance of taking three points and building a platform to advance to the second round - or so the theory goes.

The Japanese feel exactly the same way about Australia.

And that explains why so much hype surrounds the first match in a group which also features hot favourite Brazil and 1998 semi-finalist Croatia.

"The first game is always the most important," said Socceroo midfielder Jason Culina.

"You come away with three points and all you need is basically a point from the other two games," said Culina, summing up the feeling in the Australian camp.

"It's a very important game," agreed fellow midfielder Marco Bresciano.

"It can either give us a good start or make it very hard for us."

"Three points would just shape our whole tournament," said defender Lucas Neill.

"It could decide whether we make it into the second round."

"If we beat Japan we would go into the next match (against Brazil) thinking if we got a draw it could take us through."

"That's why it's so crucial."

"We'll be looking to make that our Cup final."

Neill acknowledges the speed and skills of the Japanese, the reigning Asian champions, who reached the final 16 of the World Cup they co-hosted in 2002.

But he believes the Japanese are at a vulnerable point in their football development.

"I think everyone feels Japan is a team that's there to be beaten," he said.

"They were a very strong force in the last World Cup, highly committed, and obviously a lot of money was put into them because of the fact they were hosting."

"But I think they've dropped off the pace since then."

"They are in a transition period, and I think it's probably a perfect time to be playing them."

Midfielder Tim Cahill said: "They're a good team, but we're a good team, too."

"We shouldn't be worrying about them, we should be worrying about what we do."

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer knows the importance of keeping a clean sheet.

"It's a challenge but we are all quietly confident we can live up to the challenge," he said.

"The most important thing is we at least don't go out there and lose the game."

If the Australians are aware of the make-or-break nature of the initial encounter, then the Japanese are feeling the pressure, too.

"You just cannot afford to lose your opening match in a World Cup," said their coach, Brazilian great Zico.

"You will have the added pressure of having to win the next match at all costs."

"And you know that another defeat and you are out of the tournament in the first week."

Neill believes the Socceroos have entered a new era and are poised to record their first World Cup win after two defeats and a draw in 1974.

He summed up the positive vibe in the Australian camp at Oehringen, in southern Germany, when he said: "Now we have a chance to create new history."

"We're determined not to go out and lose three games in a row."

"That would just be 'well done, you got to the World Cup'."

"That's not good enough any more."

"We have set higher expectations than that."

"I don't want to just make up numbers; I don't want to fall flat on my face."

"While there's a hype and a buzz I think we need to capitalise on it and drive as far as we can with it, break our duck in the best possible way."

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