Seoul, South Korea, Sep 10: Australia travels to Jordan looking not only for its first win in the final round of qualification for the 2014 World Cup, but anxious to prevent Japan from disappearing over the horizon on the road to Brazil.
Japan has seven points from three games in Group B—one of two groups of five from which the top two teams qualify automatically for the World Cup—and is expected to defeat Iraq at home this week. Australia, with two points from two games, faces a tougher fixture in Amman on Tuesday knowing a loss could leave Japan eight points clear.
“We've not had an easy start,” Australia captain Lucas Neill said after a 3-0 warm-up win over Lebanon in Beirut on Thursday. That victory, the team's first since February, helped relieve the pressure after two opening draws and a disappointing 3-1 friendly loss at Scotland in August.
“I think we've gained two valuable points, but we really need now to play to our best or near best to try and give ourselves the best chance of three points because it sends a little bit of a statement to the rest of the group. It gives us a chance to pull away a little bit and keep on the heels of Japan, who have obviously got off to a fantastic start.”
Jordan, with one point from its opening two games, also needs the win and will be hoping to recover its impressive form from the previous round of qualification.
Japan has no such worries. Already five points clear of the four-nation chasing pack that also includes Oman, the Asian champion could put itself on the brink of qualification with a win at home to Iraq, a team led by former Japan coach Zico.
With a settled and fit squad, perhaps the only issue for coach Alberto Zaccheroni is where to play Shinji Kagawa. The 23 year-old has become a star for new club Manchester United, where he plays in the “hole”, just behind the striker. For his country however, that position currently belongs to CSKA Moscow's Keisuke Honda.
Kagawa spent 45 ineffective minutes on the left wing in a 1-0 friendly win over the United Arab Emirates on Thursday before being substituted.
“Obviously I always want to play in the hole but no matter what I say (to the coach) the situation isn't going to change,” Kagawa said last week. “That's the way it goes and basically I just have to deliver results in whichever position I am played in.”
In Group A, Iran coach Carlos Queiroz told Associated Press that three teams are fighting for second spot behind a South Korean side that has won both its games so far.
“I believe that in our group we have one natural candidate to qualify and that is Korea,” Queiroz via by telephone. “Then there is the second line which is Iran, Uzbekistan and Qatar. We can't forget Lebanon who can put one of one these teams out of the World Cup.”
Iran has four points from two games and travels to Lebanon, while South Korea faces a tricky trip to Tashkent to take an Uzbekistan team in need of victory.
The Central Asian team was tipped as a possible automatic qualifier, but has collected just one point from two games so far. Already the national association has changed the head coach. South Korea is on a high after its bronze medal success at the 2012 Olympics.
Some of the stars of that under-23 team are expected to play, including Ki Sung-yeung who recently joined English Premier League team Swansea City in a deal reportedly worth $9 million and Park Chu-young who left Arsenal on loan to Spanish side Celta Vigo.
Lee Chung-yung of English team Bolton Wanderers has been selected for the first time since breaking his leg in July 2011.
The only bad news for coach Choi Kang-hee is the injury that the Olympic team captain Koo Ja-cheol picked up while playing for Bundesliga team FC Augsburg last weekend.
Uzbekistan has four players absent through injury, but comfortably defeated Kuwait 3-0 in a friendly on Friday in Tashkent.
“Uzbekistan played as we expected and played well, but the game against us will be different than a friendly,” said Choi, who attended the Uzbekistan-Kuwait match. “We are in good condition and looking forward to doing our best to get a good result to continue our good start.”
