Australians hope win will silence doubters

OEHRINGEN, Germany, June 13 (Reuters) Australia hope their World Cup win over Japan will convince their doubters they are emerging as a genuine threat in a sport they have only just begun to embrace.

Australia is a country which takes success in sport for granted.

Australians have won virtually every major championship, cup, medal and title the sporting world has to offer - but absolutely nothing of note in soccer.

The game enjoys only modest support in comparison to the other football codes, Australian Rules, Rugby Union and Rugby League, and the major summer sports of cricket, tennis, golf and swimming.

The Socceroos have beaten the likes of Brazil, France and England in recent seasons but had qualified for the World Cup only once before this year, in 1974, when they failed to win a match, or even score a goal.

All that changed in Kaiserslautern yesterday when they rifled home three goals in the last eight minutes to overturn a 1-0 deficit and win 3-1 and suddenly raise expectations they could make it past the first round in Germany.

''We pretty much shocked the world yesterday with that win, especially the way we finished the game,'' assistant coach Graham Arnold told reporters today.

''That result will really put a positive spin on the code in Australia.'' Arnold, a former Socceroo himself, said the result showed Australia were not to be taken lightly and were now worthy of greater recognition.

''A lot of people don't give our boys credit,'' he said.

''I think we've got a cup final football side who fight for 90 minutes and leave nothing in the tank.

Australia's next group match is against Brazil in Munich in Sunday. The South Americans are overwhelming favourites to win the match and top the group but Arnold said they would have taken note of Australia's spirited finish against the Japanese.

''I think Brazil will be looking over their shoulder at us now,'' he said.

''It definitely wasn't a fluke the way that we finished the game.'' Reuters PDS GC2053