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Starting XI:

Mark Schwarzer: 7 - Made some great saves in the first half to keep Australia on level terms at a time when Serbia dominated but then undid some of his good work by allowing Serbia to pull a goal back late in the game which ended any slim chance of catching Ghana on goal difference for second spot.

David Carney: 6 - Better effort than against Ghana but again looked shaky in possession at times and found Serbian star Milos Krasic a real handful in the first half in particular. Improved in the second half. He's better going forward than coming back although usually willing to defend from the front.

Lucas Neill: 8 - Took on Serbia's giant striker Nikola Zigic - and won - and produced his best game of the tournament with an assured display, particularly in the first half to help the Socceroos keep a clean sheet at a time when they were under pressure.

Michael Beauchamp: 7 - Proved he is the long-term replacement for Craig Moore, who was suspended for the Serbia match but will now retire from international football, with an assured performance alongside Neill at the centre of defence.

Luke Wilkshire: 7 - Gave his all as usual and it was his great cross from the right which set up the Socceroos' opening goal, scored by Cahill.

Mark Bresciano: 6 - Not as dangerous as he was against Ghana but worked hard before being substituted in the 65th minute.

Tim Cahill: 8 - Super Tim did it again by scoring his first goal of this World Cup with his great header to score Australia's opening goal against Serbia. That is a staggering 21 goals from 42 games for his country and there is no doubt it was his sending-off against Germany in the opening game that ultimately cost the Socceroos a place in the last 16.

Jason Culina: 6 - Produced his best game of the tournament and almost scored the opening goal for the Socceroos with a stinging shot early in the second half, but was often wasteful and too willing to go backwards instead of push forward.

Carl Valeri: 7 - Another solid performance in the holding midfield role as he started all three games at this World Cup and now appears to have taken over from Vinny Grella in that key defensive midfield position. Looms as one of Australia's most important players over the next four years in the build-up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Brett Emerton: 6 - Was unable to get into dangerous positions too often but his pace and athleticism down the right constantly gave the Socceroos an attacking outlet and he remains one of Australia's most consistent players.

Josh Kennedy: 5 - Started for the first time in the tournament but had little impact and indeed looked out of his depth against Serbia's powerful English based central defence of Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic and Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic.

Subs:

Scott Chipperfield: 6 - Came on for Bresciano in the 65th minute and added backbone to the middle of the park in what may be his final game for the Socceroos.

Brett Holman: 8 - The star of the tournament as far as Australia is concerned and without doubt the Socceroos' most improved player. His magnificent second-half strike against Serbia, just minutes after coming on, was one of the best goals of the tournament and meant he ended the campaign as the Socceroos' leading scorer. Hard to believe that until the Socceroos' last warm-up game against New Zealand that he had scored just one goal for his country but now shapes as one of the most important players for Australia over the next four years.

Richard Garcia: N/A - Came on late for Wilkshire as Australia went in search of goals but had little impact.

  

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