Australia striker Harry Kewell has claimed referee Roberto Rosetti had "killed" his World Cup dream after sending him off during the 1-1 draw with Ghana.

Harry Kewell and Craig Moore of Australia argue with referee Roberto Rosetti
After missing the Socceroos' 4-0 trouncing in their opening match against Germany, Kewell lasted just 24 minutes before he was dismissed for deliberate handball after keeping out Jonathan Mensah's fierce shot on the goal-line and FIFA has confirmed he will receive a one-match ban.

The Galatasaray forward vehemently contested the decision, but was given his marching orders before Asamoah Gyan slid home the ensuing penalty to cancel out Brett Holman's earlier strike.

The incident was the turning point for the Socceroos, who can still mathematically qualify for the round of 16, but must win against Serbia and hope the result in the other Group D match goes their way.

Kewell felt he had no hope of getting his arm out of the way of the shot and while he conceded the incident warranted a penalty, he did not think he should have seen red.

"It's a shame that it happened that way but, if you look at the situation, it's hit my arm, but it wasn't deliberate," he said. "It was only that I was trying to get my shoulder there. I think the ref made a decision that he can only answer.

"Unless I actually detach my arm and put it somewhere else, there is no other way I can move my arm.

"I didn't deliberately go for the hand, I didn't try and handball it, I tried to use my chest. I was playing by the rules, but the ref saw it another way. He's probably the only one who did.

"The guy has killed my World Cup."

FIFA's regulation regarding deliberate handball would, however, suggest Rosetti got the decision correct.

The rule states: "A player is sent off - if he prevents a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball.

"This punishment arises not from the act of the player deliberately handling the ball but from the unacceptable and unfair intervention that prevented a goal being scored."

Kewell's dismissal meant he became the second Australian player to be sent off in as many games after Tim Cahill was shown a straight red against Germany.

Cahill will return for the must-win clash against Serbia, but Kewell will be left to watch on from the sidelines and hope his team-mates can pull off an unlikely progression to the second round.

"I'm devastated. We got the early goal. I thought okay, they started to come back, but I thought they had the grip on it," he said.

"We controlled it, I thought, and then again a decision like that, they have haunted us throughout the World Cup, but again, that's football you have to take it on the chin.

"It's just unfortunate that the ref saw something that probably everyone thought, 'Okay, fair enough, it was a handball, but was it red card?'

"We've seen some decisions in this World Cup that haven't been red cards. Why is this one different? That's why everyone gets confused, everyone gets frustrated with referees because one minute they're are saying this and one minute they are saying that.

"He's the referee at the end of the day. You can't tell him what to do. He's the judge, jury and executioner."