Croatia boss Zlatko Kranjcar has confirmed that Ivica Olic and Stjepan Tomas will both start Thursday's crucial Group F match against Australia in Stuttgart.

Kranjcar's team need to win to book a place in the last 16, but as they failed to score in their opening two matches - a 1-0 defeat against Brazil and a goalless draw with Japan - the coach decided a change up front was essential.

"Our plan is to play the same as we did against Japan and Brazil, to play offensively," he said.

"We just hope that the players use the chances better than they have the two games before.

"Yesterday I named the first starting eleven and I said Olic would substitute (Ivan) Klasnic.

"He (Klasnic) won't start, he'll start on the bench and will come on if necessary."

The other change is enforced with Tomas replacing the suspended Robert Kovac in defence, meaning the Galatasaray star will mark his friend and Australia captain Mark Viduka.

Kranjcar added: "Kovac had the two yellow cards, so Tomas comes in for him.

"It just happens that Tomas and Mark are very good friends. I was their coach at Dinamo Zagreb (in the late 1990s).

"For the 90 minutes, they can put their friendship to one side, and I'm confident Tomas will come out the winner against Viduka."