Soccer-Popovic wants win over 'best team in Asia' in quest for World Cup berth
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Third Round - Group C - Australia v Indonesia - Post-match Press Conference - Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Australia - March 20, 2025 Australia's Tony Popovic during the press conference after the match REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File photo
(Reuters) -Australia coach Tony Popovic is eyeing victory over Japan on Thursday to not only boost his side's World Cup qualification hopes but further improve the Socceroos' prospects of becoming the strongest team in the Asian confederation.
The Australians face Hajime Moriyasu's much-changed squad in Perth knowing a win would take them to the verge of securing a ticket for next year's 48-team finals in North America as runners-up in Group C behind the already-qualified Japanese.
"A win is something that we're pushing towards," said Popovic, who led his team to a 1-1 draw when the sides last met in October.
"We feel confident we can show an improved performance from what we did in Japan, albeit that was a very good one.
"We'll have to be at our best to beat the best team in Asia. That's where we want to get to and to be the best we have to beat the best and they clearly are."
The Japanese confirmed their ticket for the finals in March and, as a result, head coach Moriyasu has named a squad featuring eight uncapped players for the trip to Perth.
While Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo and Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo have been included in the 27-player line, the Japanese are missing key players such as Kaoru Mitoma, Hidemasa Morita and Ayase Ueda.
Australia go into the game in second place in the group, three points ahead of Saudi Arabia with two games remaining, although Popovic will be without goal-scoring midfielder Jackson Irvine, who is sidelined after foot surgery.
"It's not their best squad, I wonder what that will look like because when we played them in Japan they had their starting 11 all playing in Europe," Popovic said.
"We can see that they have a mixture of J-League players and European based players in their squad. We haven't beaten them often and I'm sure they'll be strong regardless of who they play."
(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
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