Socceroos subs ready to step up

Australia's Asian Cup back-up players insist they are ready to step up and get the job done against Bahrain with injuries threatening to rule several first-team stars out of the match.

The Socceroos were left to count the cost of a bruising 1-1 draw with South Korea on Friday, with Jason Culina (knee), Luke Wilkshire (groin) and David Carney (shoulder) all in doubt for Wednesday morning's (AEDT) final Group C match.

Culina, who was substituted at half-time, appears to be the biggest concern with fears a knee injury could threaten his involvement in the rest of the tournament.

The Gold Coast midfielder was visibly upset after the match, but coach Holger Osieck will take heart in the fact he has a ready-made replacement in Carl Valeri, who slotted into the side seamlessly in the second half.

Valeri played every match for Australia at last year's World Cup in South Africa and insisted all squad players were capable of coming into the starting side.

"All of us are ready," Valeri said.

"The training sessions are always intense and I think a lot of the players who aren't playing all the time, they make the group so strong.

"We're pushing each other and making everyone fight for their spot. I think we're making it difficult for the boss and we're doing our job."

Wilkshire was forced off in the second half, due to a groin knock picked up before half-time and would need a speedy recovery to be considered for the Bahrain match, in which Australia only needs to avoid defeat to reach the quarter-finals.

"We'll have to wait and see how it reacts, with a bit of luck it's just a contusion and I'll be right in a bit of time," Wilkshire said.

He was replaced by Jade North, who would likely fill his spot against Bahrain if he is ruled out.

Carney fell heavily on his shoulder late in the match but pushed on to the end with all of Australia's substitutions used up.

Coach Holger Osieck said Carney should be fit to face Bahrain but will face a tricky selection dilemma if not, with left back Australia's least covered position.

Bring on a rematch

Australia's defence was questioned before kick-off but central pairing Lucas Neill and Sasa Ognenovski reckon they have heard the last of talk they are too slow and too old to carry the side to Asian Cup glory.

The pair's ability to contain South Korea's speedy and mobile attackers was questioned by coach Cho Kwang-Rae in the lead-up to Friday's 1-1 draw in Doha.

But while both were at fault in conceding an early goal at Al Gharafa Stadium, they were otherwise solid at the back, limiting their opponents to only a handful of chances.

Ognenovski, who plays in Korea's domestic league with Seongnam Ilwha, felt he and Neill may be treated with more respect if the tournament heavyweights meet again in the knockout stage.

"Yeah I think if we do meet them again, I don't think they'll be talking it up next time," the 31-year-old said.

"... I think if it comes to a physical contest our boys are a bit physically stronger and can hit a bit harder than what the Koreans do.

"They move the ball around well, but probably didn't penetrate as much as they like."

Neill, 32, was also clearly irked at talk the pair could prove a weak link.

"I don't have to prove myself or answer to opinion of people from Korea but certainly if we needed the motivation, it certainly helped," Neill said.

"It was their young team against a supposedly old team and not once did we look out of our depth or outrun stamina-wise.

"We punched on 'til the end. It's great for confidence and we might need that later on."

Ognenovski said he would enjoy the chance to face Korea again in the later stages of the tournament, a view shared by many of his team-mates after one of the best games of the Asian Cup so far.

"Yeah we'd all sign a piece of paper now to say that would be the final, it would be fantastic," Harry Kewell said.