Australia coach Holger Osieck has called up English Premier League players Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer in an 18-man squad for their friendly against Wales next week.
Despite losing 0-4 to Australia, India earned respect for their doggedness from their formidable opponents who said Bob Houghton's wards deserved to be in the Asian Cup football tournament, the continent's biggest football event.
Australia secured a first Asian Cup final appearance against three-times champions Japan after they thrashed a disappointing Uzbekistan 6-0 at the Khalifa Stadium on Tuesday. Japan beat South Korea 3-0 in a penalty shootout after the two sides drew 2-2 in the first semi-final at the Al Gharafa Stadium.
France head into their World Cup opener against Australia in Kazan on Saturday sweating on the fitness of fullback Djibril Sidibe and under pressure to deliver an emphatic win to erase doubts about the cohesion of a team of brilliant individuals.
Australia's soccer team celebrated with hundreds of fans at a victory party in Sydney on Wednesday after eking out a nervous win over Iraq that sealed their ticket to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
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