Tim Cahill: 'South Korea favourites to lift Asian Cup'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 29 January 2015

Tim Cahill acknowledges that Australia face one of their "most difficult games" when they come up against South Korea in the Asian Cup final on Saturday.

Australia midfielder Tim Cahill has insisted that his side head into this weekend's Asian Cup final against South Korea as underdogs.

The host nation fell to a 1-0 defeat against the same opposition in the group stage of the tournament, although they have since recovered from that minor setback to reach the showpiece final.

Victories over China and the United Arab Emirates have ensured that Australia are in confident spirits heading into the match, although former Everton favourite Cahill has now shifted the pressure onto South Korea.

"People can say what they want," he is quoted as saying by FIFA.com "For us as players it doesn't make a difference what people write or say because our focus is just to switch off from everything.

"If we're favourites, excellent. But I feel that's a bit of a hardship when Korea beat us so I think they're probably favourites. It's definitely going to be one of our most difficult games but the boys are determined to do well which is the biggest factor.

"They have been really well drilled and it's all about being mentally ready for 95 minutes of football because I don't think this game is going to go to extra time."

Cahill has scored 39 goals in 81 games for his country to make him the Socceroos' record goalscorer.