We can master the Dutch, say Australians

MATHEW Leckie insists that Australia have the weapons to inflict a shock win on the mighty Netherlands despite their record 5-1 humbling of world champions Spain.

The Socceroos lost 3-1 to Chile in their opening game but winger Leckie, one of their stand-out performers with goal-scorer Tim Cahill, was unfazed by the prospect of facing the Dutch tomorrow in Porto Alegre

After going 2-0 down within 15 minutes on Friday, Australia got one back before half-time and they were gunning for an equaliser for much of the game. Jean Beausejour got Chile's third in injury time.

While Australia lost in Cuiaba, in Salvador the Netherlands handed out the worst-ever World Cup defeat for any reigning champions and Spain's heaviest reverse in more than half-a-century.

But Leckie said Australia's inexperienced lineup could spring a few surprises on the 2010 World Cup runners-up.

"I'm sure Chile didn't expect such a hard game as what they got and Holland, obviously they've now seen that game and they'll probably review it as well," he said.

"But we'll definitely hit them in areas they won't expect and hopefully we can be clinical in the opportunities that we get and we can put a few goals away."

Outsiders Australia can take heart from a unbeaten record against the Dutch – two draws and a win in three fixtures from 2006.

"What's happened in the past doesn't really matter. The whole team's almost totally changed from when we've played Holland in the past," Leckie said.

"We'll go out there with our plan and hope we can play as well as we did for that 70 minutes against Chile.

"We exposed Chile a lot on the wings, we have a lot of speed on the sides and we have Timmy [Cahill] that's one of the best headers in the game." – AFP