England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was impressed with Australia's performance against Japan and has tipped them to beat Brazil.
NUREMBERG: England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was impressed with Australia's performance against Japan and has tipped them to beat Brazil.
Australia scored three goals in the last eight minutes to silence Japan and their approach to the game won over the Swede.
"I didn't actually see the Australia game because we were training or travelling, but I heard that they played very well, and congratulations," said Eriksson.
"Can they beat Brazil? Yes, why not. You have to believe it."
Australia take on the defending champions on Sunday in a highly anticipated clash following Brazil's less-than-convincing opening 1-0 win over Croatia.
Despite being ranked 42 in the world, Australia can take heart that they've beaten Brazil 1-0 in the 2001 Confderations Cup in Korea and had a scoreless draw with them in the 1997 Confederations Cup in Riyadh.
The Aussies go into the game with four players on yellow cards - midfielder Vince Grella, defender Craig Moore, two-goal hero Tim Cahill and striker John Aloisi, who got the third goal.
Eriksson said he would play them despite the risk that another yellow could rule them out of their third match against Croatia.
"If I had already won the group after two games then no, but now yes. But that is Hiddink's problem," he said.
Eriksson was speaking ahead of England's match here against Trinidad and Tobago today, and the coach of the West Indian team said he was equally impressed with Guus Hiddink's Australia.
"I love the way they go for it," said Leo Beenhakker, a Dutch veteran who has coached an array of teams including Ajax, Real Madrid, who he took to three titles, and Feyenoord.
"Australia want to win, they played well. You see it in their body language and on their faces. They play with a smile and that is what you have to do. I loved seeing it."
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