Despite arriving into Oman in the early hours of Monday morning via an exhaustive transit from Denmark, there won’t be any excuses by Friday’s kick-off according to Mile Jedinak.
Despite arriving into Oman in the early hours of Monday morning via an exhaustive transit from Denmark, there won-t be any excuses by Friday-s kick-off according to Mile Jedinak.
Jedinak was among the travelling party that arrived in Muscat travel weary and shell shocked by the significant change in climate.
The Qantas Socceroos traded lows of 10°C in Copenhagen for near 40°C highs in Muscat and making the most of their adjustment will be key to a positive result on Friday evening.
“It was quite a long trip, we got in at five o-clock this morning, so it was pretty much straight to bed and then we got woken up for lunch and we-ve just been for a walk getting used to the climate, so to speak,” Jedinak said.
Jedinak was one of several to find some positives from Australia-s loss to world No.10 Denmark at the Parken Stadium.
Though the Danes were deserved winners, the Socceroos gave a good account of themselves throughout much of the game, particularly in the opening stages of the second half.
It that was that period of the match in particular that Jedinak and Australia will be hoping to see more of on Friday when the stakes are as high as they have been since the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“There-s a lot of positives we can take out of that game (against Denmark),” Jedinak said.
“It was good to get a hit out before this crucial game, just to get out as a unit again, a lot of us boys haven-t been involved since the November qualifiers.
“It wasn-t the result we wanted but in saying that it was in preparation for Friday.”
Oman come into Friday-s match on the back of a defeat of their own - a humbling 3-0 loss at the hands of Asian heavyweights Japan at Saitama Stadium.
Despite this result, Oman will still present Australia with a formidable task, one best explained by the Omani-s recent record at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, where they haven-t lost since November 2010.
“I don-t think it (Oman-s result against Japan) makes it any easier, for sure, because they-re a different team at home,” said Jedinak.
“They showed that against us last time, we beat them as well, same scoreline, 3-0, and then we came here and they were a much tougher proposition.
“Unfortunately that day we lost 1-0 but we-re not going to go and underestimate them on one result, that would be stupid to do that because we know that they-ve got here for a reason.
“They-ve got some results in the past, we-re going to go out there and play to our maximum and hopefully it-ll be enough to get us the points.”
The Qantas Socceroos begin their final phase of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a clash against Oman in Muscat on Friday, 8 June.
Soon after, the Qantas Socceroos will host Japan in their first home fixture of the fourth stage of Asia-s FIFA World Cup qualification process on Tuesday, 12 June at Brisbane-s Suncorp Stadium. Kick off is at 8pm.