Brisbane to host Australia-Japan clash

Australia will face Japan in their first home match of the final stage of their 2014 World Cup qualifying, it was announced on Sunday.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) have announced the Socceroos will host fierce rival Japan at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in June.

Having successfully negotiated the first stage of AFC qualification to the 2014 event in Brazil, the Socceroos were drawn in a group that includes Japan, Jordan, Iraq and Oman last Friday.

Australia open the year-long qualification phase, which will see them play eight matches, with an away clash to Oman on June 8, before playing Japan on home soil on June 12, in a replay of last year’s AFC Asian Cup final, which Japan won 1-0 through a dramatic late winner.

When qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Socceroos played the first home match during the second phase of Asian qualification in Brisbane against Qatar, in a famous 4-0 result.

And Socceroos coach Holger Osieck is hopeful history will repeat itself.

“Brisbane is an excellent venue and provides us a great atmosphere and environment for the next phase of our campaign,” Osieck said in a media release on Wednesday.

“We have very good memories from the start of our last stage of qualifiers and we hope to duplicate that result on 12 June.”

“I’m expecting a sell-out crowd to see two of the top nations in Asia compete for a place at the FIFA World Cup.”

Under AFC regulations against sponsorship that contravenes the organisation’s own sponsors, Suncorp Stadium will be renamed Brisbane Stadium for the encounter.

Regardless of the name, FFA chief executive Ben Buckley believes the Queensland public will boost the Socceroos’ chances by turning the venue into a cauldron of support for the Australians.

“The Socceroos v Japan at Suncorp Stadium will be an absolutely epic contest on the road to Brazil,” Buckley said.

“This will be a very early test for the Socceroos against the Asian champions and the outcome will shape the group, but we all know our players thrive on these challenges.”