Uphill battle for Socceroos

Australia veteran Tim Cahill told his young, untested teammates on Wednesday to cast aside any lingering pre-World Cup jitters and go out and enjoy the experience of locking horns with Chile in their World Cup opener.

Only by leaving their nerves behind in the dressing room on Friday, the former Everton star believes, will the Socceroos have a shot at claiming what would be one mighty Group B scalp.

"You've got to be fearless, that way things happen in games," his country's all-time top scorer told a media conference in Vitoria before traveling to Cuiaba for the date with the South Americans.