Harry Kewell is in doubt, but goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer will definitely start as the Socceroos' World Cup adventure enters sudden-death and penalty shootout territory on Tuesday.

Kewell, whose 79th minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Croatia booked Australia's round of 16 appearance, has not taken part in either of the Socceroos' sessions since Thursday's match.

He is being nursed through soreness from the Croatia game after his preparation for the World Cup finals had been interrupted by a groin injury which kept him out of much of the team's strenuous lead-up work.

"We'll see the recovery we get from Harry," Australia coach Guus Hiddink said.

"He will not participate fully in the training with the team this morning and we'll see how his situation is tomorrow."

The Socceroos tackle three-time world champion Italy in the round of 16 in Kaiserslautern after surprisingly qualifying for the tournament's knockout stage, with 30 minutes of extra-time and a penalty shootout looming if scores are tied at the end of normal time.

Australia knows all about sudden-death and penalty shootout situations, having survived one against Uruguay in the second World Cup playoff match in Sydney in November to make it to Germany.

Hiddink confirmed again that Schwarzer - who saved two penalties in the Uruguay shootout - would resume his role between the sticks after the Dutchman's decision to dump him for Zeljko Kalac against Croatia nearly ended Australia's run.

Kalac had a poor game and conceded a soft second goal.

If it wasn't for Kewell's equaliser, the decision to play Kalac would have left Hiddink having to explain how he undid 11 months of coaching brilliance with a single blunder.

"Normally I don't give a line-up, but yes," Hiddink said when asked if Schwarzer would play.

"For the rest you'll have to wait."

The key decisions Hiddink faces are whether, and for how long, to use Kewell, and how to replace suspended fullback Brett Emerton - a player the Socceroos coach deemed nearly irreplaceable.

The Blackburn utility has been outstanding for the Socceroos at the World Cup with his energy and endeavour, but was sent off late in the Croatia match for a second yellow card and received an automatic one-match ban.

Hiddink appears to have two options - either promoting Italian-based Marco Bresciano or wide midfielder Luke Wilkshire from the bench and tinkering slightly with his formation to accommodate the replacement.

He may even use both if he decides to use Kewell as an impact player from the bench.

"We'll find our solution but it's not easy - Brett Emerton gives a lot of energy to this team," Hiddink said.

"When you see him running all over the place, not only in the first 15 minutes but in minute 85, he's one of the fittest players in this World Cup.

"It's very difficult to replace him. I'm glad he never played against me."

Bresciano would also come with the added bonus of his skills at taking corners and free-kicks - one of few dire areas for the Socceroos in Germany and an area likely to give Australia its best chance of a goal against one of the world's most miserly defences.

Hiddink is in the privileged position of knowing exactly what he needs to do to eliminate Italy from a World Cup at this stage with an underdog team.

He managed the feat with South Korea in 2002 with a golden goal extra-time winner to knock out the Azzurri.

But he warned the current Italian team - which has won two games, drawn one and conceded just one goal in three games in Germany - certainly would go into the match hot favourite.

"Different manager, some players are the same, some players have changed," Hiddink said of Italy.

"At that time they were the same favourite as they were now, but it's difficult to compare these two games.

"But the one thing that is the same is they are still 100 per cent the favourite."

Italy will be without its defensive linchpin Alessandro Nesta, who has been ruled out with a groin injury - a big boost to Australia's hope.

And the mood in the Socceroos camp remains buoyant after exceeding all expectations to get this far.

"Nobody expected us to qualify for the World Cup. Nobody expected us to get past the group. Nobody expects us to beat Italy," defender Lucas Neill said.

"That's the opinion of the rest of the world.

"It's very much a David and Goliath match, but we'll give them the best game we possibly can."

Possible Socceroos team: Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill, Craig Moore, Scott Chipperfield, Vince Grella, Jason Culina, Marco Bresciano, Luke Wilkshire, Tim Cahill, Mile Sterjovski, Mark Viduka.

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