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Macedonia v Australia: Confident visitors eye victory

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 28 Mar 2015

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After holding world champions Germany to a draw midweek, Australia are determined to go one step further when they play Macedonia in the capital city of Skopje.

The Asian champions were unfortunate not to win as they were pegged back late by Germany, who salvaged an entertaining 2-2 draw in Kaiserslautern on Wednesday.

Goals from James Troisi and captain Mile Jedinak either side of half-time gave Australia a 2-1 lead five minutes into the second half, following Marco Reus’ 17th-minute opener.

However, Lukas Podolski spared Germany’s blushes via an 81st-minute equaliser.

Having demonstrated their ability to mix it with the world’s best, Ange Postecoglou’s men are now targeting victory against the Macedonians at National Arena Philip II of Macedonia Stadium, though full-back Jason Davidson is not underestimating the home side.

“I think every game that we go into we’re very confident of getting a result and believe in what we’re trying to do,” Davidson told FFA TV.

“Obviously it’s an international game, but it doesn’t matter if you’re playing against Germany or Macedonia they’re going to be a tough opponent in their own right.

“We’re definitely going into this game focused to make sure we get a result – we want to win.

“So we prepare like it was any other game, there’s no easy opponent and I think it will be a great game.”

Macedonia – ranked 108th in the FIFA world rankings – return to the National Stadium following their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Belarus in Euro 2016 qualifying on Friday.

Bosko Djurovski’s Macedonia surrendered a ninth-minute lead as the Belarusians scored two unanswered goals courtesy of Timofei Kalachev and Sergei Kornilenko in the Group C clash.

The result left Macedonia second-from-bottom with three points in the six-team group, 12 points adrift of leaders Slovakia after five matches.

Monday’s friendly will be the second meeting between Australia and Macedonia, with the two nations previously facing off in March 1997.

Australia were 1-0 winners on that occasion thanks to Aurelio Vidmar’s 89th-minute goal.

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