World Cup preview: Socceroos v Spain

Australia will be looking to heap more misery on humiliated holders Spain when the two eliminated teams clash in their final match of the 2014 World Cup on Monday.

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The Socceroos are unable to progress from Group B but can at least hold their heads high after two honourable losses, 3-1 to Chile and 3-2 to the Netherlands, defying gloomy pre-tournament predictions that they would be embarrassed by the world's best in Brazil.

Spain meanwhile, the Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 champions, suffered a disastrous 5-1 defeat to a rampant Dutch side, before going down 2-0 to Chile, a scoreline that flattered Vicente del Bosque's lacklustre team.

The Socceroos and La Roja will meet at Arena da Baixada in Curitiba at 2am on Tuesday morning AEST, playing for pride and seeking to avoid going home empty handed.

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou will be without star forward Tim Cahill, scorer of a wonderful left-foot volley against the Netherlands, after he picked up a second yellow card of the tournament for a heavy challenge on Bruno Martins Indi.

Mathew Leckie impressed on the right in that game and is one of the candidates to replace Cahill at centre-forward, with Ben Halloran to come in to the starting XI on the flank in that scenario.

Postecoglou's other option is to bring in striker Adam Taggart as a straight swap for the suspended veteran, although the Newcastle Jets youngster is more likely to be used off the bench.

Barring injury, the rest of the team should remain unchanged, with Ryan McGowan and Matt McKay acquitting themselves well after coming in for injured duo Ivan Franjic and Mark Milligan.

Mark Bresciano only lasted until the 50th minute against the Netherlands and he has hinted to FFA TV he may not be fit enough to start this clash with a hip flexor injury now concerning the Socceroo talisman who's also been troubled by a back complaint. 

Oliver Bozanic performed strongly after being introduced in place of the veteran playmaker in Porto Alegre, and is the most logical and likely replacement. 

Del Bosque meanwhile could well ring the changes for a Spain side desperately seeking to restore a modicum of pride, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas - a national team stalwart - still in the firing line after failing to convince against the Netherlands and Chile.

The decision to select Brazilian-born Diego Costa, a naturalised Spanish citizen, at centre-forward has also backfired, with the Atletico Madrid man failing to make an impression at the tournament on home soil.

Fernando Torres or Melbourne Heart-bound David Villa could start ahead of him, or Del Bosque could opt for Cesc Fabregas to play as a false nine.

Beating a team that until recently was rightly considered one of the most dominant forces international football has ever seen remains a huge ask for Australia, but the Socceroos appear to have a far better chance of causing an upset than when the draw was made late last year. 

And a morale-boosting win against the outgoing holders would give Postecoglou and his players enormous confidence going into the 2015 Asian Cup and the next World Cup qualifying campaign.

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