World Cup Live 2014 Schedule, Groups, How to Watch: Chile, Australia Battle in Brazil; 6 p.m EST Start
Chile and Australia were drawn into a tough group, but both teams are expected to go all out as they collide in their tournament opener Friday in Day 2 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Both countries were drawn into Group B together with Spain and the Netherlands -- two powerhouse teams that they need to go through in order to advance to the knockout stages.
Friday's match will be critical for both teams, with the winner getting a strong chance to advance to the next round, while the loser will have to score upsets in their next games to have a chance at qualifying.
Chile is slightly favored heading into their showdown, but there are still questions about whether or not their star Arturo Vidal will be available in their tournament opener.
Vidal, who underwent knee surgery in May, is the highest-scoring midfielder during the South American qualifying, and his team badly needs his presence. Aside from Vidal, Chile will lean on Alexis Sanchez, who has been an effective weapon for his squad, scoring Chile's last five goals.
On the other hand, Australia is expected to play inspired futbol, as they are aching to prove that they are no pushovers despite being the lowest-ranked team in this year's World Cup.
Australia coach Ange Postecoglou, who has been earning praises for transforming the Australian side into a more disciplined squad, likes their chance against Chile.
"I don't want to keep coming to World Cups and have people saying, 'You've got no chance.' I'd rather they talk about us like they are talking about Chile now," Postecoglou said via Yahoo Sports UK. "I think they are a good example of a country that has worked for the last four or five years to become a force, and that's our goal."
Analysts believe that Australia lacks the striking firepower that a team badly needs in order to make noise in Brazil, but Postecoglou expressed confidence that his attackers, led by Tim Cahill, will be up to the challenge in this year's World Cup.
"We certainly believe we can be a threat in other areas, but with Timmy, if he does get half a chance in the box, particularly in the air, he can hurt any opposition," Postecoglou said of Cahill, who has 32 goals for the Socceroos over the past five years. "I'm not worried. If he keeps scoring, I'm going to be happy."
Date, Schedule, How to Watch
The Chile-Australia match will start at 6 p.m. EST and will be shown live on ESPN and via online streaming through WatchESPN.
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