With all teams in Group A sharing a draw in their first match, this match is crucial for both teams who obviously want to top the table. Both Iraq and Australia performed badly in their first match, and the burden is laid on Australia’s shoulder who were expected to easily outperform the Oman side.

If the Socceroos are still unable to battle the humidity of Bangkok, then this match will belong to the Iraqis. Iraq displayed inconsistent performance during their first match against Thailand. The Iraq team displayed pressing play with continuous attack in the first half but were pinned into their own half of the pitch in the latter stages of the Asian Cup game. Younis Mahmoud who scored in the first match will likely to be played again despite a minor injury that he picked up. However the explosive Mahmoud must learn to control his temper or else risk a dismissal as he contested a couple of referee decisions during the previous game. Iraq’s other aces, midfielder Mahdi Karim and left back Ahmad Abbas also need to step up to support the frontman.

The Socceroos will likely change their formation to preserve stamina throughout the game. Perhaps Coach Graham Arnold would utilize a traditional 4 – 4 -2 by providing another striker to accompany Mark Viduka. Viduka’s role was previously to create room for his compatriots from midfield, Hary Kewell and Mark Bresciano but he struggled for sections of the first game. Against the fast paced Iraq players, it’s interesting to see whether the Socceroos can match such speed. A quick paced first half is likely to tire out both sides. It could be expected that any team that goes into the dressing rooms at half time ahead will ultimately win the match. Iraq v Australia is scheduled to be played on July 13^th and is a Group A match in Bangkok. You can watch the football live in our member’s area from the comfort of your desktop or laptop pc. Avoid the humidity and downpours that will likely sap the players.