Kewell said despite suggestions of a rift in the Australian camp, which he emphatically denied, morale remains high ahead of Saturday's must-win match against Ghana in Rustenberg.

Even a draw against Ghana, which beat Serbia 1-0 in the other first phase match in Australia's group, would all but end the Socceroos' hopes of again reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup as they did four years ago while another defeat certainly would.

However Kewell believes the Socceroos have been written off prematurely on the basis of just one performance against what appears to be the best team in the group.

"It wasn't a great effort against Germany but there are two games to go and anything can happen in a World Cup," he said.

"We were all disappointed in the (Germany) game but we are all men and we take it on the chin and we go out there and we have got to improve in the game against Ghana.

"There are still two games to go and we have got time to turn things around."

Kewell also believes Australia can cover the loss of Tim Cahill, the Socceroos' most prolific goalscorer of recent times, with the Everton star to miss the game through suspension following the straight red card he received against Germany.

"Tim is a great player and it's disappointing he won't be there (against Ghana)," said Kewell, who is expected to come into the side to replace Cahill after surprisingly not being used at all against Germany.

"But we have got great players in our squad so we can cope with any players that we have or haven't got.

"But personally I don't think it was a red card (offence for Cahill) and a lot other Australians probably think the same thing and probably most of the Germans don't think so as well but it's a World Cup and these things can happen."