Australia hurt by second straight difficult draw
- Coach: Bert van Marwijk
- Star players: Tim Cahill (unattached), Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town), Mat Ryan (Brighton & Hove Albion)
- Best World Cup result: Round of 16 (2006)
- Performance at last World Cup: Group stage
Even in the twilight of his career, Australia cannot help but still turn to Tim Cahill.
Now 38, the former Everton man contributed 11 goals to his country's qualifying campaign.
But Cahill's wealth of experience belies the improvement of his supporting cast, with the likes of Huddersfield Town's Aaron Mooy and Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Mat Ryan increasingly influential.
Another unenviable group draw places Australia again at the mercy of their more illustrious peers, as proved the case with Spain, Holland and Chile last time around.
Coach Bert van Marwijk has not had much time with his team, having taken over only in January. So, getting out of Group C may prove a step too far, even by Cahill's fairy-tale standards.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now