FIFA 2010 World Cup Preview: Australia 2 - 1 Serbia

Both teams ruled out of the tournament

Australia beat Serbia 2-1 to seal both teams' exit from the World Cup. The Socceroos looked like they might cause an upset after going ahead, but Serbia's Marko Pantelic hit back to see them miss out by a single goal.

Ultimately Serbia paid for their earlier profligacy as second-half goals from Tim Cahill and Brett Holman sent them crashing out.

Australia's effort dragged them off the bottom of the group but it was too little too late as Ghana edged them out of the second round on goal difference. It was a face-saving win for Australia that seemed barely likely in the first half as they struggled to cope with Serbia's pace and technical excellence.

Serbia had the first opportunity when Milos Krasic, booed by Australia's sizeable following after a tumble in the box moments earlier, burst into the box and fired at Mark Schwarzer from a tight angle.

Krasic had another chance after 11 minutes as Serbia broke quickly following an Australia corner. Milos Ninkovic played him through with a superb pass but the CSKA Moscow star shot high and wide after rounding the advancing Schwarzer.

Serbia maintained the pressure and went close again when Zdravko Kuzmanovic shot across the face of goal.

Australia were struggling to handle the speed of the Serbian attacks and were grateful when Schwarzer stuck out an arm to deny Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic from inside the six-yard box. They were limited to firing in crosses from deep but it was 32 minutes before Serbia failed to deal with one and Cahill headed his side's first good chance wide.

Australia were almost caught out by another slick Serbia move before the break but Krasic was marginally offside before flicking the ball past Schwarzer.

The Socceroos began the second period with more purpose and won a free-kick after Cahill tangled with Nemanja Vidic. Marco Bresciano drilled the set-piece in low but Nikola Zigic was back to clear.

Cahill also sliced a shot wide from a Josh Kennedy flick-on but the Socceroos remained vulnerable on the counter-attack. Milan Jovanovic broke clear on the left and Zigic controlled his cross brilliantly only to shoot over.

Australia, again showing more intent, went close as Jason Culina drilled a low shot wide.

Bresciano then forced Vladimir Stojkovic to make his first serious save from a low free-kick after Ninkovic was booked for a late tackle on Luke Wilkshire.

Kuzmanovic headed a good chance wide for Serbia but the eastern Europeans were starting to look concerned.

They paid the price for their earlier profligacy as Wilkshire picked out Cahill with a superb cross in the 69th minute and the Everton star headed powerfully home in familiar fashion.

Serbia were rattled and Australia began to sense an unlikely opportunity as substitute Holman broke forward four minutes later and unleashed a ferocious shot that flew past Stojkovic from 30 yards.

Serbia grabbed a lifeline six minutes from time as Schwarzer spilled a long-range Zoran Tosic shot and fellow substitute Pantelic pounced from close range.

That allowed them to regain their composure and they created one last gilt-edged chance but Pantelic was unable to stay onside and missed the target anyway.

FIFA World Cup 2010: Ghana 1 - 1 Australia

Ghana profit from Kewell red

Ten-man Australia kept their slim hopes of qualifying for the next round of the World Cup alive after a dogged second-half display earned them a point against Ghana in Rustenburg.

Harry Kewell was sent off for the Socceroos midway through the first half after referee Roberto Rosetti deemed he had used his arm to keep out a certain goal for Jonathan Mensah after 23 minutes.

Asamoah Gyan made no mistake with the resulting penalty to cancel out an earlier strike from Brett Holman at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium as the two sides went on to end the Group D encounter with a point each.

At the start Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac was forced into two changes in the key centre-back area, where Isaac Vorsah and John Mensah were ruled out, with Jonathan Mensah and Lee Addy drafted in instead.

There were changes from Pim Verbeek too - four in total with Holman, Marco Bresciano and Kewell amongst them - and it clearly made a difference from the outset.

Australia looked hungry and Kewell had an early penalty shout turned down after a nervous Addy was almost dispossessed in the box.

More suspect defending saw Addy and goalkeeper Richard Kingson collide after pressure from another chasing Australian, before the deadlock was broken.

Carl Valeri was brought down by Anthony Annan just outside the box and Bresciano's free-kick was fumbled by the Ghanaian goalkeeper allowing Holman to swoop.

The Black Stars slowly began to recover and came close after 20 minutes when Andre Ayew and then Gyan saw their shots deflected over.

Then came the turning point of the game - Ayew's trickery down the right allowing him to lay the ball on for Jonathan Mensah, whose shot was kept out by the hand of Kewell.

Referee Rosetti had no hesitation in sending off the forward and Gyan easily dispatched the penalty by sending Mark Schwarzer the wrong way.

The goal came in the 24th minute and moments later Prince Tagoe had a good chance to put his side in front, but dragged his long-range strike wide.

Schwarzer made a fine save moments before half-time when he turned Boateng's strike wide to ensure his side head into the break level.

After the restart Kwadwo Asamoah wastefully shot wide after a promising counter-attack, while Gyan showed good accuracy from distance with a low shot that was not cleanly gathered by the Australia goalkeeper, who was fortunate not to have had any attacking players close by.

Quincy Owusu-Abeyie replaced Tagoe in the 56th minute, but Ghana were still restricted to long-range shooting - Rennes striker Gyan again sending in a comfortable shot for Schwarzer to deal with.

Scott Chipperfield was brought on ten minutes later and had a great chance to make an immediate impact when Luke Wilkshire swung over a cross from the right, but the free header went flying over.

When the Ghanaians did manage to get into the box, Gyan sliced wide after a neatly threaded pass from Boateng.

Verbeek's side had another great chance to take the lead after 73 minutes when Wilkshire was played in on the right, but Kingson did well to close down the shot and then acrobatically save the much easier rebound shot from substitute Joshua Kennedy.

Sulley Muntari was introduced but by then there was more defending to do for the Inter Milan midfielder with Australia throwing everything forward.

With time running out, Jonathan Mensah headed wide, while Quincy forced Schwarzer to punch over his 18-yard shot as the game finished 1-1.