Soccer: Sigmund predicts Socceroo fireworks

Ben Sigmund. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Defender Ben Sigmund is predicting another physical match, and possibly some payback, when the All Whites face Australia in a soccer friendly in Adelaide next month.

The last time the two countries met was 12 months ago in Melbourne, where the Socceroos won 2-1 after a contest that at times belied its status as a mere warm-up fixture for the World Cup in South Africa.

Sigmund, who is in camp in Auckland this week with the rest of the Australasia-based All Whites, hasn't forgotten that night and he was sure trans-tasman rivalry would again be simmering at the Adelaide Oval on June 5.

"It's going to be the same, to be honest, because it's Australia and it's a love-hate relationship," he said yesterday.

"We love them to bits but we hate them as well. We're looking forward to it and I think we owe them a couple because they certainly got stuck into us before the World Cup."

All White Leo Bertos failed to finish the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after being clattered by Vince Grella and Tim Cahill with tackles that even then Australian coach Pim Verbeek criticised.

The New Zealanders also lost vice-captain Tim Brown with a shoulder injury that effectively put paid to his World Cup campaign, although Brown described the cause - falling awkwardly after a tangle with Grella - as accidental.

Both Grella and Cahill are missing from the 23-man Socceroos squad that new coach Holger Osieck has named to face the All Whites and then Serbia in Melbourne two days later.

Cahill is among a quartet of European-based players unavailable through injury, along with David Carney, Harry Kewell and Mark Schwarzer.

While their absence might make the All Whites' job a little easier, Sigmund pointed out that New Zealand also had their own casualty list.

It includes the England-based pair of inspirational captain Ryan Nelsen and striker Rory Fallon.

- NZPA