World Cup Team Checks: Australia

World Cup Qualifiers

After three previous attempts left the Australian team watching the finals Down Under, a two-leg duel against Uruguay that ended in a penalty shoot-out brought the Australians to the long-sought finals.

Stars

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, known as the Aussies' "German," became a national hero when he stopped two penalty shots, giving Australia a 4:2 win in the pressure cooker final against Uruguay and a ticket to the 2006 World Cup. The 33-year-old's parents left Germany in 1967, but much of Schwarzer's family still lives in Germany, while he plays club soccer in England's Premiership for Middlesbrough.

Trainer

Guus Hiddink is the father of Australia's success. After bringing then-host South Korea to fourth place in 2002, Hiddink took a spot coaching the Socceroos in July and preformed similar magic.

World Cup History

Australia will enter their second World Cup campaign after making the finals the last time the tournament was hosted by Germany in 1974. They will look to improve on their performance after being sent home scoreless after matches against West Germany, East Germany and Chile.

Match Schedule: Preliminary Round

June 12: Australia - Japan in Kaiserslautern

June 18: Brazil - Australia in Munich

June 22: Croatia - Australia in Stuttgart

World Cup Base

The Socceroos will be staying at the Wald- and Schlosshotel Friedrichsruhe in Baden-Württemberg's city of Zweiflingen.

Outlook

Australia's odds are a lot better this time around. Even though they didn't win a match in last summer's Confederations Cup, the side introduced one of the tournament's top scorers in John Aloisi. Australian fans are also extremely confident in Hiddink, who they expect will propel their side to even better performances than win over Uruguay.