Australia’s next match against Japan is a great opportunity for Popovic to get the best out of his squad against the strongest team in Asia. But who exactly are the Socceroos set to face?
The Squad
The Japanese squad quite simply boasts the best talent and experience in Asia. With representation in major European league and a deep player pool underpinned by a very strong domestic competition Japan are flush with options across the board.
Three young goal keepers all show promise and would be starter considerations for the Socceroos themselves but 22 year old Suzuki has featured in the Serie A this season and is likely to start.
The Japanese midfield though is the powerhouse of the team with players based everywhere from Liverpool to Celtic. The young squad is technically gifted and well drilled, able to score goals from a variety of plays which has helped Japan score 12 goals in their last two games from 9 separate scorers. Captain of the team Endo has even featured in Liverpool’s premier league team this season and will be a key man to watch against the Socceroos.
The Form
Japan has built up a formidable form book heading into this game, losing only twice in tight matches away to Iraq and Iran as part of the Asian Cup. Their world cup qualification however has been simply faultless as they have managed to bag 22 goals in their past four matches. In contrast to the Socceroos who lost 1-0 to Bahrain on the Gold Coast, Japan took apart Bahrain in a 5-0 drubbing away from home. A point against Japan would be a great achievement for the Socceroos, although even just a goal would be impressive.
The Beautiful Game 