Ghana captain Stephen Appiah admits he knows little about the Socceroos but believes halting Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano is the key to beating the Australians at the World Cup finals in South Africa. Ghana and the Socceroos face off in what could be the round-of-16 qualification decider on 19 June in Rustenburg. Appiah, now on Bologna's books in Italy 's Serie A said he was well aware of midfielder Bresciano's capabilities. They were team-mates at Parma before Appiah joined Juventus and Bresciano signed for Palermo. Appiah, however, said Everton's Cahill could be the Black Stars' nemesis. "Of the Australian players, I know Cahill and Bresciano," Appiah said. "They are players that can frighten us. But we're going to the World Cup to battle against everyone and not only Cahill and Bresciano." The Socceroos are in a tough group and will face three vastly-different football styles within 10 days in soccer's showpiece. Appiah's Black Stars could be the Socceroos' major stumbling block. Ghana technically is brilliant but has demonstrated it is naive tactically. The Socceroos face three-time World Cup champion and third-placed side in 2006 Germany in the opening match on June 14. Ghana is the Socceroos' next opponent before Australia meets the sublimely-skilled Serbians in their closing Group D clash in Nelspruit on June 24. "I know very little about this Socceroos side," Appiah said. "We played a friendly match after the World Cup in 2006 (1-1 at Loftus Road in London ). "What I do know is the Australians are very strong physically and they can hold their own at the World Cup. I do know that, in football, names count for nothing." Ghana was the only African nation to progress to the second round of its maiden World Cup finals appearance four years ago in Germany . The Socceroos were the only Asian representative to get out of the group stage in 2006 before falling to eventual four-time champion Italy in Kaiserslautern . The two nations had similar results in Germany. Ghana crashed 0-2 to Italy in the group stage before being swept aside 0-3 by Brazil in the round of 16. The Socceroos lost 0-2 to Brazil in the group stage in Munich before Francesco Totti fired 10-man Italy past the Socceroos with a 95th-minute penalty. Appiah said Ghana 's strong midfield, which boasts of Inter Milan's Sulley Muntari, Chelsea 's Michael Essien and Udinese's Kwadwo Asamoah, is one of the strongest combination in world football. He described the trio as the X-factor against the Socceroos. "Of all the African nations at the World Cup everyone talks about Cameroon and the Cote d'Ivoire because of (Samuel) Eto'o and (Didier) Drogba," he said. "These players have won everything (at club level). "The attacks of Cameroon and Cote d'Ivoire are famous along with their names. But, with Ghana, our midfield is our strength. In the 2006 World Cup we were the only African nation to go to the knockout phase. We're strong as a group and that is a much better proposition than individual strength." Source: Ghanasoccernet.com