Top-seeded Socceroos hope to avoid Japan

Definitely agree on that.

Yep, have to be careful, each of the West Asian nations will be desperate to end the poor run they've been having with World Cup appearances. Oman managed to give us a shock in the last round. Iraq has a potent team whilst Jordan has been on fire. Each of them has very passionate supporter groups who could make any of our away games dangerous. Our bye is a scheduled pretty ugly, and going from west Asia to home to play the toughest opponents in the group. I will say that I think the other group is more dangerous, particularly with Korea, Iran and Uzbekistan in the other group. But this group holds plenty of challenges Osieck and lads need to be wary of.

Well, it seems we will have to delay the reminiscence for another year. Good luck, hope to see Iran go through with Korea!

Iraq is the banana skin of the group. That said it is great to get some away games out of the way earlier in the piece

Iraq is the banana skin of the group

It was the Kuwaiti's who were particularly upset.

This is world football and all 5 teams are chasing the biggest prize in world sport - a spot at the FIFA WC. And, not any FIFA WC, but a FIFA WC in Brasil. If you watched 2011 Asian Cup you must have been impressed by JOR? And we needed a bit of H-magic to finally overcome IRQ. There will be no excuse for AUS dropping even 1 point at home. But, the away games - especially in the Middle East in Summer - are the big unknown. Having said that, I much prefer our Group to the other Group.

I think its a good draw. At this phase there are no 'easy' games, we might as well continue our burgeoning rivalry with Nippon:) Iraq away is likely to be in the UAE, which should help the Socceroos. I think the 12-jun-2012 home game v JPN in Brisvegas was probably under FFA embargo, but thanks to Herr Osieck for letting that cat out of the bag:) vielen dank! I think this is a very do-able group. Japan away in June2013 is already getting my friends and I planning. Always wanted to visit Japan, what better reason than for football?;)

Japan and Australia to share top two spots, can't see the other three challenging in any way, shape or form - so it's direct entry for Australia for 2014.

WCQ Draw has just been completed and we can't complain. Group B: AUS, IRQ, JOR, OMA, JPN 3 JUN 2012: BYE 8 JUN 2012: OMA (a) 12 JUN 2012: JPN (h) 11 SEP 2012: JOR (a) 16 OCT 2012: IRQ (a) 14 NOV 2012: BYE 26 MAR 2013: OMA (h) 4 JUN 2013: JPN (a) 11 JUN 2013: JOR (h) 18 JUN 2013: IRQ (h) The first home game is in Brisbane according to the conversation on FoxSports.

That's a great way of looking at it SuperG, Australian's are forever tied to Turkey and we can't hate them, both of our nations were just pawns in a larger conflict. we respect each other, and after Ataturk''s kind words, I think Aussies have a real kinship with the Turks "Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours... You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."- Atatürk 1934

I'm sorry ISL, perhaps I have gotten my Iranians mixed up. It was a long time ago and I tried to purge the painful memories from my head very quickly afterwards. I distinctly remember one of the goal scorers(if not Bagheri, it must be Azizi) accumulating a number of cards, but as FIFA determined that the AFC v OFC was a 'new phase' of the competition there was no hold-over on yellow cards received. It is something we pay attention to a lot her in Australia. we seem to get 50-50 decisions go against us often from FIFA. Either way, I reiterate what I said above, there were many reasons we didn't go to France 98, the biggest one being that we just weren't good enough on the November night to get the result we needed after a gallant 1-1 in Tehran. Maybe if we do get Iran in our group for ph4 and I can get to Tehran for the Australia game, I will find a DVD of the fateful game. I'm not sure if I could watch it, but it would be a good reminder of just how far Aussie football has come since 1997

I was at the match with like-minded friends. Wanted to cry but couldn't even manage that..just too stunned and numb. But my friend, there was never a question of hate. I was actually quite touched by what it meant to the Iranians and the way they celebrated on the streets in Tehran. This was our football Gallipoli. Our two nations forever connected in football history because of one match that will never be forgotten by football fans in either country. But that doesn't mean we don't want to give you guys a good kicks up the backside next time we meet. ;-) Hope to meet you in the next round and if it's the case, may the best team win.

It's good to be in Asia, a much more exciting place to be in for football! Hopefully, however the games between us play out, we'll head to Brazil in 2014 together.

Oh, I tend to poke around the comments on the FIFA match reports and articles regarding the world cup quals, get an interesting cross section of countries in there. The Uzbek commenters are the most likely to throw in comments questioning the legitimacy of Australia's place in Asia (usually whilst insisting this isn't about being upset over that 6:0 result). Usually they're just ignored by people listed as being in other Asian countries but periodically you get a Japanese or Korean poster who agrees. Interestingly enough most of the West Asian posters seem pretty well adjusted to Australia's presence. I suspect at the top of the pile many of the kingmakers and old hands of the different nations may not have welcomed the change but I think many appreciate the chance to play against the Australian style of play, which is a bit different. Having Australian players now fit under the 3+1 foreign player rules is regarded as a plus as well.

Also believe me. We have many painful memories which make us cry when we even think about them. This shows that you cannot always be happy in football. If I want to talk about our tragic moments I can write a full book. Again I have high respect for Australians. Welcome to Asia and best wishes for Australia in next round (Except when u play against us definitely).

Nathan, can you elaborate on the Uzbeki comments regarding Australia? I duobt very much that we are ensconced enough in the AFC to feel completely safe. Perhaps after we host the AFC Nations Cup in 2015 it will go some way towards putting down some solid roots in the region. I still get the impression especially from MBHs comments in the lead up to the decision on WC2022 that we were tolerated but not accepted by a few powerbroker nations in Asia, but I put that down to MBHs championing of his own country at the time. I'd be interested to read an interview with him on the topic of Australia in AFC now he isn't AFC#1.

Kasey, Bagheri did not have any problem to play as far as I know. He even missed the first leg as far as I remember. Except that, everything you said is true. I know all types of miracles happened in that game to not let Australia to qualify like referee, pulling down of the goalpost, wasting too many great chances by Australians. This is what even K. Azizi said in last November.

Worth considering that that 6-nil victory left Uzbekistan bewildered and now they're coming for blood. Losing to an A-League team at home isn't going to be making them any more friendly. On a related note the Uzbekis seem to be the nation still most resolutely opposed to the idea of Australia in the AFC from the comments I see about the place.

Nathan of Perth, thanks for your nice words.