Ghana head into their Group D clash with Australia as the only African team to taste success in the World Cup so far. The Black Stars have lived up to their billing as dark horses in the making at the finals after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Serbia on Sunday.

Australia saw their hopes of reaching the knockout stages - and a potential last-16 tie against England - suffer a hammer blow via a highly-impressive German team that tore apart the Socceroos in a 4-0 rout.

With no other nation from the African continent securing three points from their opening fixture, the Ghanaians can put one foot into the next round if they can replicate last weekend's victory against Australia, who can almost kiss goodbye to their tournament if they do not win in Rustenburg.

Saturday's game will be the first time these teams have met in a competitive match, but they have met six times in friendlies, with Australia leading the head-to-head 4-1.

A draw appears an unlikely result at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium judging by the Black Stars' World Cup finals record, as they have yet to play out a stalemate in five matches in football's elite international event.

The Socceroos have only won once in eight games at the major tournament and failed to score in six of those fixtures, keeping one clean sheet in the process.

Black Stars coach Milovan Rajevac had a limited time to make a final assessment on his squad after Friday's training session was delayed by two hours due to frozen pitches at their Rustenburg camp.

Despite the hold-up, Rajevac is expected to name an unchanged side from the one that prevailed over Serbia which will include Asamoah Gyan, who has now scored in the opening game of Ghana's last four major tournaments.

Australia's Tim Cahill will be able to play in the final group game against Serbia after FIFA deemed his red card against Germany worthy of a one-game ban and decided not to increase the penalty for his dismissal, but the Everton midfielder will be forced to watch Saturday's clash from the sidelines.

Fellow Socceroos midfielder Vince Grella is out of the game after picking up a knee injury but the Aussies are boosted by the news Harry Kewell has declared himself fit after nursing a groin problem in the defeat to Germany.