Adelaide: Captain Mile Jedinak is confident that Australia will not get complacent in their final two 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers.
The Socceroos currently lead the Group B standings and have home matches against Tajikistan and Jordan coming up, needing only four points to guarantee their place in the third round of FIFA World Cup qualifying, as well as at the AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
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While many observers believe next Tuesday’s match with second-placed Jordan at the Sydney Football Stadium will be the decisive clash, Jedinak insists his side cannot afford to take it easy against the Tajiks at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
“The fact we haven’t had a game in such a long time with the national team means you can’t become complacent,” the Crystal Palace man said on the Football Federation Australia’s official website.
“Everyone wants to impress again, everyone wants to give it their all.
“It’s how we channel it which is going to be most important. We have to manage the games in the right way, the one on Thursday first.
“We’re not allowed to be complacent. If you’ve been around this environment, the word doesn’t come into it because you are being pushed every game and every training session to be better.
“That word isn’t even in (Australia coach) Ange (Postecoglou)’s vocabulary so I don’t even want to start talking or thinking about it.”
Thursday’s game will be the Socceroos’ first in Adelaide in five years and the 31-year-old is confident a strong turnout will go a long way in helping the team secure a positive result.
“Looking at (the stadium) yesterday and taking it all in, the surroundings, it’s very impressive and I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like on Thursday when it will be such a great atmosphere,” Jedinak added.
“I remember the last time we were here at the old Adelaide Oval, the support was tremendous, I think it’s going to be something we’re all going to savour.”
Australia have thus far won five of their six qualifiers in Group B, with their only defeat being a 2-0 loss to Jordan in Amman last October.
Source: the-afc.com