Desperate Australia in must-win clash vs Peru

Fan Zone ‘Belief still there’

A fan of Uruguay cheers for his team ahead of the Group A match between Uruguay and Russia at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Samara Arena in Samara, Russia on

June 25. (AP) A soccer fan shows a mini replica of the World Cup trophy ahead of the Group A match between Uruguay and Russia at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Samara Arena in Samara, on June 25. (AP) A Russia fan uses a camera before the start of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group A football match between Uruguay and Russia at the fan zone in Moscow on June

25. (AFP) An Egypt fan waits for the start of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group A football match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the Volgograd Arena in

Volgograd on June 25. (AFP)

KAZAN, Russia, June 25, (AFP): Australia’s long-suffering fans are bracing for another World Cup anti-climax Tuesday when the Socceroos face a Peru side desperate for a victory that may send their opponents home.

Pipped 2-1 in the final minutes by France and left agonising over their failure to win a thrilling 1-1 draw against Denmark, Australia face the South Americans for the first time knowing even a win could end their hopes of remaining in Russia.

Coach Bert van Marwijk led his native Netherlands to the 2010 final, where the Dutch were undone by Andres Iniesta’s extra-time winner for Spain.

So far in Russia, the 65-year-old has been both encouraged and frustrated by a side showing marked improvements defensively but little progress in the creative play that leads to goals.

“Scoring,” said Van Marwijk when asked prior to their crunch Group C match against Denmark what Australia lacked most.

“We have to play and create more chances.”

Failure to beat the Danes in a match that did have bright spots such as exciting teenage striker Daniel Arzani coming off the bench and forcing a great stop from Denmark ‘keeper Kasper Schmeichel sorely dented their hopes of reaching the last 16 for the first time since 2006.

In a country where football is vying for support against traditional heavyweights like Australian rules, rugby league and cricket, the knives are already out for the Socceroos.

Online haters have abused midfielder Robbie Kruse and members of his family on social media.

Captain Mile Jedinak, who has scored both of Australia’s goals in

SAINT PETERSBURG, June 25, (AFP): Held by Iceland and humiliated by Croatia, Argentina’s World Cup could already have been all but over, but Lionel Messi and the rest of Jorge Sampaoli’s troubled squad have one final shot at redemption against Nigeria on Tuesday.

Victory against the Africans, who Argentina have beaten in all four previous World Cup meetings, will secure qualification for the last 16 as long as Iceland don’t shock already-qualified Croatia.

Even if Iceland claim a first ever World Cup victory, Argentina could still progress on goal difference.

However, bouncing back will take a huge improvement in performance and strength of character so far unseen from the two-time world champions in Russia.

The Argentina federation were even moved on Saturday to confirm that Sampaoli would continue for the final group game among rumours of a rift between players and coach.

“I get the feeling there’s a general Argentina’s forward Lionel Messi attends a training session at the team’s base camp in Bronnitsy, near Moscow, Russia on June 24, ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group D football match against Nigeria to be held in Saint Petersburg on June 26. Messi who was born on June 24, 1987, turned

31. (AFP)

anger at the heart of the team,” said Argentina’s legendary 1986 World Cupwinning captain Diego Maradona.

“I’m furious and very upset inside, because anyone who wore that shirt can’t see it being trampled like that by a Croatian team that isn’t Germany, that isn’t Brazil, that isn’t Holland or Spain.”

For all his heroics with Barcelona at club level, Messi is still often compared unfavourably in his homeland for his inability to recreate Maradona’s success for the national team.

Messi led Argentina to the World Cup final four years ago and consecutive Copa America finals in the following two years, but all three ended in defeat.

And his 31st birthday on Sunday only served to highlight how time is running out for Messi to win a major international tournament.

Without the five-time World Player of the Year, though, it is highly unlikely Argentina would even have qualified.

Messi salvaged a disastrous campaign under three different managers with a hat-trick away to Ecuador in the Albiceleste’s final qualifier.

In their hour of need, Argentina need Messi’s best once more.

“Leo is fine,” insisted veteran midfielder Javier Mascherano, who knows Messi better than most having spent eight years as his club team-mate at Barcelona.

“He is a human being who has his frustrations because things haven’t worked out, but so are we all. “Like it our not, we are the runners-up from the World Cup and we have to show it.”

So far in Russia, Messi has been held scoreless. He missed a penalty among 11 unsuccessful shots on goal in a 1-1 draw with Iceland before failing to make any meaningful impact in an error-strewn Argentine display against Croatia.

A month on from Messi’s rescue mission in Ecuador, he sat out a friendly as Nigeria beat Argentina 4-2 back in November to highlight how reliant even a squad containing Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala remain on their number 10.

“It is the most critical situation I have experienced, along with the Ecuador game,” said Argentina midfielder Lucas Biglia on Sunday. “But sometimes you have to cling to something.”

Argentina are clinging to the hope their captain bails them out again.

Uruguay’s midfielder Nahitan Nandez challenges Russia’s midfielder Roman Zobnin (right), during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group A football match between

Uruguay and Russia at the Samara Arena in Samara on June 25. (AFP)