The Socceroos will require at least 4 points from their next two matches to keep their direct qualification hopes alive. After losing to Bahrain and drawing to Indonesia in the first two match days Australia will now face China in Adelaide and Japan away.
The top two teams from the group will qualify automatically for the World Cup with the third and fourth places will go to a dreaded fourth round of qualification. Australia firmly has its sights set on a top two finish and had eight more games to correct its early missteps.
Australia vs China
Thursday 10th of October in Adelaide
This game is a must win. China sit bottom of the qualification group and have conceded nine goals in just two matches. In front of a large expected Adelaide crowd, new Socceroos coach Tony Popvic will be expected to hit the ground running with three points.
The Socceroos will need to show that they can score gaols in this game. China’s defence has been abysmal so far and an inability to break it down in a home fixture may destroy the attacking confidence of the Socceroos.
Japan vs Australia
Tuesday 15th of October in Japan
Japan have dazzled in their first two matches. The team has scored 12 goals with 5 coming against Bahrain and 7 amazingly coming against China. In what is sure to be the most difficult test of this qualification round the Socceroos will need to come back from Japan with at least a draw to try slow down group leaders and prove that they can still mix it with the best in Asia.
Most concerningly for the Socceroos will be the sheer amount of options Japan has up front. In their first two matches Japan has scored 12 goals, but those goals have come from nine separate players.
The Beautiful Game 