Alessandro Circati: We are willing to prove what Australia can do

Socceroos defender Alessandro Circati said the the team was determined to prove to the world just what Australia can do as they prepare for their Round of 32 clash against Egypt on Saturday morning (AEST).

Circati was speaking to media from San Francisco ahead of the game.

Bond in the squad

Some boys have actually been in camp for two months. I've been camp for a little over a month, but I see every day people are growing, people are getting better, people are pushing people to get better. Most importantly, people are willing to prove to the world what Australia can do in football - our abilities, what we can do. We’ll try to go as far as we can, we look at it game by game, and now we're fully focused for the game with Egypt.

Reflection on the knock-out stages so far

It's a game of football, we know anything can happen. Teams go in, as favourites, but come out with a loss, that's what happens in 90 minutes, especially in the World Cup. I don't think there's ever a clear team that can win. There’s so much on the line, so much at stake that players do, they can pull things out the hat. Players are able to get a result where maybe they were inferior on the day.

Preparing for the possibility of penalties

We started yesterday doing penalty shootouts, doing it in a real situation - set two teams up, take the penalties properly. It all comes with practice, and on the day, it’s after 120 minutes, so much changes on the pitch. The players that start the game, most likely they're not going to be on the pitch at the end. So, if it does get to that stage, then the coaching staff have to decide [who will take them] along with the players left on the field.

Being positive [is important], having self-belief, and not letting the sea, not letting it get to you, not really affecting us. If you've been practicing it one way, continue that way. Back yourself, and hit it with full conviction.

The defensive unit

It's my favourite thing to play against good players. I like to test myself. I don't back down from a challenge - the better the opponent gives me the opportunity to get better and showcase what I can do.

Regarding the two clean sheets, it's a big satisfaction. It's not easy to do that. We had a very tough group as well, and we showed how solid we are defensively as a team, boys on the field and boys off the field, because the ones maybe who don't play really help us in training as well. It's very positive, gives us self-confidence. I'm sure Egypt are looking at that and thinking, it won't be easy, that they won't get many chances, and the chances that they do get, they've really got to take. We've got to limit that for them.

Taking on Egypt

I'm thinking them for them to be quite aggressive, to use the individual abilities that they have, try exploit that. We know the sort of players that they have, and maybe create the game through them. We’ve got to try to stop that, and really take our chances, exploit their vulnerabilities, and try to finish the game with a win.

It's a knockout game, everyone will approach it in their own way, everyone will react to it in their own way, but the boys are aware of what is at stake, and we are aware that we're going to get a result.

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