Australia brace for tough Germany

DURBAN, South Africa (AP):

Australia are bracing for a tough start to their World Cup campaign when they take on three-time champions Germany in their Group D opener today.

"Is there ever a good time to play Germany? I don't think so," defender Lucas Neill said. "I don't think they've lost their last five or six opening games in a World Cup."

Germany captain Philipp Lahm said his team wants an emphatic win to prove they are capable of a title challenge, even without influential captain Michael Ballack.

Underdogs Australia are appearing in only their third World Cup, but Germany coach Joachim Loew is taking nothing for granted when the teams meet at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on the edge of the Indian Ocean.

"We can go in with confidence, but we have respect for Australia," Loew said. "It's a well-organised team. Not spectacular, but they work hard, they have exceptional organisation, good passing, they are incredible physically and they have almost perfect defence organisation."

Australia's defence Doubtful

Doubts persist over the strength of Australia's defence. Centre backs Craig Moore and Neill struggled to contain the United States' forwards in a 3-1 warm-up loss. Full backs Scott Chipperfield and Luke Wilkshire are converted midfielders who are more comfortable raiding forward than tackling back.

But Loew said Australia's defence has often proven difficult to break down in the past.

"They have had a lot of success with their system," Loew said. "I expect a very tense game with a lot of resistance. They have a positive character, they simply defend very well. It's simpler to play defensively. We have to exert a lot of pressure to create chances. But we have many players who can score."

Loew, whose 23 players are all fit, said the Germans will have to move forward fast once they win the ball.

"Australia doesn't allow many chances," he said.

Australia, which face more tough opposition in the form of Ghana and Serbia in their other two Group D matches, are built on the nucleus of a 2006 World Cup - goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, forward Harry Kewell and his Galatasaray teammate Neill, plus Everton midfielder Tim Cahill.

Cahill is fit again after recovering from a neck injury and Kewell has recovered from the latest bout of his chronic groin problems.

The German defenders had their own video session focused solely on Cahill, who has a prolific strike rate for a midfielder of 20 goals in 40 internationals. He burst on to the World Cup stage in 2006 by scoring twice in the dying minutes as Australia rallied from 1-0 down to beat Japan 3-1.

"We know what to expect, we studied them thoroughly," Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said yesterday. "We have to be careful of their strength in the air, but we are prepared."

Loew has reshaped Germany since being runners-up in the 2008 European Championship and they are the second-youngest German World Cup squad ever. Six of his players have progressed from the team that won the European Under-21 title last year.

Germany forward Lukas Podolski believes he could be the man to exploit any breaches in the Socceroos' defence despite scoring only two Bundesliga goals this season.

"I played a good tournament the last time and the last few games for Germany were good for me. I hope to pick up where I left off," said Podolski, who was named young player of the 2006 World Cup. "I've been training well, I feel good."