Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak says the 2011 final loss will add to Australia’s motivation

CAPTAIN Mile Jedinak says the Socceroos will use the pain of their 2011 Asian Cup final defeat as motivation to win the tournament on home soil.

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CAPTAIN Mile Jedinak says the Socceroos will use the pain of their 2011 Asian Cup final defeat as motivation to win this month’s tournament on home soil.

Speaking ahead of Friday night’s opening game at AAMI Park, Jedinak said the Socceroos were particularly wary of the threat Kuwait possesses in wide areas going forward.

Jedinak, Tim Cahill, Matt McKay and Robbie Kruse are the only remaining members of the current squad who featured in the 2011 final in Qatar, although Nathan Burns, Tommy Oar and Matthew Spiranovic were also in the squad.

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The Socceroos captain believes his team are well prepared to do well at the tournament.

Japan downed the Socceroos 1-0 after extra time on that occasion and Jedinak said that result had not been forgotten by those players there.

“I was at 2011 and it was a great tournament for us,” Jedinak said.

“As a group we grew, we didn’t get the final result that we wanted, but you’ve got to use that as a little bit of motivation going forward.

“It’s something that makes you grow as a footballer.”

The Socceroos last played Kuwait in January of 2010, drawing 2-2 in Kuwait City in a 2011 Asian Cup qualifier after getting out to an early two-goal lead.

Jedinak said that match, given how long ago it was, is irrelevant heading in to Friday’s game, but said recent analysis has left the team in no doubt as to the dangers Kuwait might cause.

Mile Jedinak said the Socceroos want to erase the hurt of the 2011 Asian Cup final loss.

“We’ve analysed them as a group, we know that they’re very quick on the break, we know their wide players are very tricky going forward and they are a handful, they are a handful.

“They showed at the Gulf Cup (in November) with their results that they were unlucky not to get through (the group stages).

“We know we’re going to have our work cut out that’s for sure ... but hopefully all that practice we’ve had in the last week to 10 days we’ll put all that out there [on Friday] night.”

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak says the 2011 final loss will add to Australia’s motivation