Wilkshire suspended for quarter final

[Reggina10Cozza]

STRUGGLING Socceroo Lucas Neill is set for a reprieve after midfielder Luke Wilkshire was ruled out of Saturday night's quarter-final against Japan.

Tournament officials confirmed today Wilkshire would miss the match - Football Federation Australia told the player had picked up a second group stage yellow card in the 4-0 win over Thailand last Monday.

It was a caution which snuck under the guard of all - Wilkshire himself bemused by picking up a card soon after Australia's third goal for an offence which remains a mystery to all including the Dutch-based midfielder.

Neill, Australia's player of the World Cup, now has a chance for redemption after a wretched Asian Cup.

The West Ham defender missed the Thailand game through suspension himself, earning the public wrath of coach Graham Arnold for his needless late red card for dissent in the 3-1 loss to Iraq.

He has also been hopelessly out of sorts in his two Asian Cup appearances to date.

But in a re-match of one of his finest hours - the 3-1 World Cup win over Japan in which he played superbly - Neill is set to slot into a back three alongside Mark Milligan and Michael Beauchamp.

Brett Emerton, who played that role against Thailand, is likely to be moved to fill Wilkshire's wide right midfield position against the Japanese.

Socceroos star Harry Kewell, benched against Thailand, and Australia's player of the tournament so far Tim Cahill, are set to come into contention for starting roles, though they may both be used for impact off the bench.

Cahill scored twice against the Japanese as a substitute at the World Cup.

Australia closed their training sessions in Hanoi today, but according to goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer have not yet started practising for penalties.

Extra-time will come into play if scores are deadlocked at the end of 90 minutes, with a penalty shootout to follow if no breakthrough after 30 minutes added time - a scenario the Socceroos are familiar with following their 2005 World Cup qualifier heroics against Uruguay.

Schwarzer saved two Uruguay penalties in that match to earn himself national hero status before John Aloisi sealed Australia's passage to their first World Cup finals in 32 years.

But Schwarzer, who was also a penalty shootout hero in a 1993 World Cup qualifier against Canada, said he preferred to not practise saving penalties in training.

"We haven't been practising yet here - obviously we only arrived two days ago," Schwarzer said.

"I'm not one that likes practising penalties anyway.

"Records don't mean much in that situation - every penalty shootout is different and I'm happy for the game to end 1-0 in our favour and not have to worry about penalty shootouts."

The Socceroos have also arrived in Vietnam in the midst of a heatwave in the country's north - where Hanoi is situated.

Vietnam's weather bureau reported today the high temperatures - with maximums of up to 38 degrees in the Hanoi area - are set to continue until match day at least.

[BAGGIO 15]

I just hope that Neil finds some form.

[Reggina10Cozza]

I just hope that Neil finds some form.

just don't play him CB in the back three.... let Milligan do the job CB he rallied well against thailand with passion and is willing to put his body on the line when needed... have Neill to his right and Beauchamp to the left.

[Rocky10]

Well here come Lucas into the line up.

Would of preferred for Wilkshire to be playing but i am sure Lucas will do a great job. He better perform Lucas. A lots riding on this game for him