Soccer: Ireland require solid victory against Saudis

YOKOHAMA - Having done the hard bit, Ireland need to beat outsiders Saudi Arabia in their final group E match tonight to ensure their qualification for the second round of the cup finals.

Impressive 1-1 draws with Cameroon and Germany have left the destiny of Mick McCarthy's resilient squad in their own hands.

To be sure of advancing, Ireland must beat the Saudis by two clear goals because Cameroon and Germany could also finish on five points if they drew their final game, to be played at the same time in Shizuoka.

Because Germany beat the Saudis 8-0, Ireland can realistically only finish second at best in the group.

The Saudis are already out and complacency is likely to be Ireland's biggest enemy at Yokohama's vast International Stadium.

"We have to go and beat Saudi Arabia and finish the job off," said McCarthy.

McCarthy's two main injury concerns affect wide players Kevin Kilbane and Jason McAteer, who both have knee problems.

McAteer did not play against Germany and McCarthy will probably stick to the same line-up who, in his words, "battered" the Germans.

That means Robbie Keane, scorer of the dramatic late equaliser in Ibaraki, will again lead the attack alongside Damien Duff.

Tall striker Niall Quinn, who set Keane up superbly after coming on as a substitute, is not fully fit and will again be on the bench despite the fact that the Saudis showed in their humiliation by Germany that they are vulnerable to aerial power.

The Saudis will once again be missing striker and captain Sami Al-Jaber, who now has appendicitis to go with his knee injury.

To make matters worse for coach Nasser Al-Johar, Al-Jaber's muscular stand-in Obeid Al-Dossary damaged knee ligaments against Cameroon and is out for six months.

Germany have little doubt they will tame the Indomitable Lions tonight to escape an historic failure.

"I like the position we're in," said Germany coach Rudi Voeller, looking cool despite the risk of seeing the triple world champions disappear in the first round of the showcase tournament for the first time since 1938.

"It's better than that of many other teams," added the former World Cup striker, whose side need a draw to make sure they reach the knockout stage - their minimum aim after a shaky run in qualifying and a string of injuries in the build-up to the finals.

"We're unbeaten and our fate is in our hands. We have every reason to be confident."

Cameroon, second to Germany in the group on goal difference, realistically have to win and their German coach, Winfried Schaefer, believes they can.

"I have said before that I would have preferred to avoid playing Germany in the first round but this is not Schaefer against Voeller," said the Cameroon coach, a popular figure in Germany after a long playing career there and coaching spells with Karlsruhe SC and VfB Stuttgart.

"This is the first against the second and I like our chances."

Voeller survived a fright when top striker Miroslav Klose had to be substituted against Ireland because of a bruised right knee.

But Klose, the World Cup's leading scorer with four goals, was able to resume full training on Sunday and assistant coach Michael Skibbe said he would be fully fit.

Cameroon had their own worries after defender and captain Rigobert Song strained his right ankle against Saudi Arabia but Schaefer said he was fit to play.

Germany will try to stamp their authority on the game, while looking for high balls and set pieces to provide ammunition for Klose, who has scored all his goals from headers.

Much will depend on playmaker Michael Ballack, who is still hampered by a sore right foot and looked rusty against Ireland but can turn the match around if he recaptures his best form.

Quicksilver forwards Samuel Eto'o and Patrick Mboma are the main trump cards of a Cameroon side well-equipped for physical challenges, but with a tendency to rely more on individual brilliance than on a disciplined collective effort.

Probable teams:

Germany: Oliver Kahn; Thomas Linke, Carsten Ramelow, Christoph Metzelder; Torsten Frings, Dietmar Hamann, Bernd Schneider, Michael Ballack, Marco Bode; Miroslav Klose, Carsten Jancker.

Cameroon: Boukar Alioum; Bill Tchato, Pierre Wome, Rigobert Song, Raymond Kalla, Geremi; Lauren, Marc-Vivien Foe, Daniel Ngom Kome; Samuel Eto'o, Patrick Mboma.

Referee: Antonio Lopez Nieto (Spain)

- REUTERS

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