Archie Thompson knows the Socceroos need a good result against Japan next Tuesday to keep their World Cup qualification hopes on track.
Archie Thompson knows the Socceroos need a good result against Japan next Tuesday to keep their World Cup qualification hopes on track.
Australia were fortunate to escape with a point from a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Oman in their most recent AFC fourth-round qualifier in March, a result which left Holger Osieck's men third in Group B, one point behind Jordan and seven back from leaders Japan.
Alberto Zaccheroni's Japan side have all but sealed their berth at the World Cup finals in Brazil next year, but for the Socceroos - who have two more games to come at home to Jordan and Iraq - the stakes will be far higher at Saitama Stadium next week.
"It's a huge game for us," Thompson said.
"We've got the opportunity to take Japan on in Japan and at the moment they're one of ... the best football countries in Asia.
"To get a result or to knock them off in Japan would build so much confidence in this team. And we've then got two home games, one in Melbourne, which will be fantastic because we always get great support there."
Despite the Socceroos' underwhelming form in recent matches, Thompson is confident his team-mates will lift for a clash with the team which denied Australia in the final of the 2011 Asian Cup.
"It doesn't seem to matter how we're playing, this match (against Japan) always seems to bring out something different in the Australian team," he said.
"We've always had that great rivalry with Japan. They're a team at the moment which is just packed with world-class talent. They're playing in top leagues and ... they're only one point off qualifying for a World Cup with two games left.
"We know it's going to be a tough match but ... what we want to do is get that confidence back, get that fear back for the Australian team that when any Asian opposition faces an Australian team that ... they're going to fear us. Maybe we've lost that a little bit."
"But I think we've got the quality, we've got the players, we've got the experience, we've got the youth. What a way to put our World Cup campaign back on track, with a great result against Japan in their own country."