The Socceroos confront the Scandinavians in Samara on Thursday with their Russian ambitions on the line after a first-up loss to the French.

Mooy says a win is required if Australia are to take realistic ambitions of reaching the round of 16.

But that doesn't mean it's all-out attack against Denmark.

"We have a game plan and we've always played that since the coaching staff have come in," Mooy said on Tuesday.

"Not a lot is changing. We'll just try and do our jobs better."

Mooy is key to how the Socceroos attack under Bert van Marwijk.

The Dutchman has set Australia up with a defence-first mindset, preparing them first and foremost to be compact without the ball to restrict opposition teams.

When the Socceroos win back the ball, it's Mooy more than all others who is used to launch counter-attacks.

The Huddersfield Town man is sought out by the defence to receive the ball, and when he gets it, the wingers and striker are often seen getting on their heels ready to receive his passes.

While the prevailing view both inside and outside the Socceroos camp is that Australia's performance against France was strong, there's no doubting the need for an improved output in attack.

Australia's goal in Kazan came from the penalty spot after Samuel Umtiti's bizarre decision to handball in the box.

Otherwise, the Socceroos were restricted to a clutch of half-chances.

In Samara, Mooy conceded that needs to change.

"Against France, the game plan worked well," he said.

"Maybe we need to attack a little bit more but it just depends on the way the game's going ... hopefully we can create chances and put them away."

Mooy said he understood the stakes in the second group game.

A loss would give Australia just a mathematical chance of progression, and a draw would see the Socceroos hoping that other results go their way to progress.

"We need to win," he said.

"Every game in the World Cup now is like a final."

Australian Associated Press