How Socceroos can triumph in World Cup qualifier against Japan

THE Socceroos face a familiar foe and a very dangerous side in Japan. Lose this game and it could get nasty for Ange Postecoglou, writes ROBBIE SLATER.

Can Rogic replicate his Celtic form for Australia? (Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

THIS is the big one.

When we looked at this fixture — away to Japan in the penultimate game — even before this World Cup qualifying stage began, we always got the feeling it would be a crucial match and it certainly has become just that.

A win for Japan and they’re through to the World Cup. A draw for us will put us in a strong position, while a win would put us in a fantastic place.

The stakes are high. The last thing Japan would want is to go to Saudi Arabia looking for a result. So both teams know exactly what’s on the table.

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Can Rogic replicate his Celtic form for Australia? (Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

The Socceroos have a slight advantage in terms of preparation because we had three massive games in the Confederations Cup and it was great for the squad to be involved against some of the world’s best.

But make no mistake — this match against Japan is the most difficult task the Socceroos have faced in a long time. Defeat, and we’ll be staring down the barrel of third place and into the lottery of a double playoff. That’s why we don’t even want to contemplate a loss.

Ange Postecoglou has got to answer some big questions. Their last game against Chile was one of their best performances. The five or six games before that were hardly convincing, but against Chile for the first we could see what he was trying to do and the squad seemed to understand how the back three works.

Mooy’s confidence is soaring after his start to the season with Huddersfield. (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

The problem for Ange is two of his best players in Aaron Mooy and Tom Rogic didn’t play that game. So does he stick with that high-pressing game that worked so well against Chile, or does he go with the more technical players, and our best players at the moment, in Mooy and Rogic?

He could start with one of them and leave the other on the bench, but that’s the dilemma Ange has to solve.

We’re up against a dangerous side. Most of the Japanese players are at very good clubs across Europe. They’ve still got the player who has taunted us most over the years in Keisuke Honda, who now plays in Mexico, while Shinji Kagawa is a regular for Borussia Dortmund. So there’s quality everywhere you look.

But these are the types of games that mean so much to players because the pressure is on and the stakes are high.