A pair of German-born football coaches feature in a World Cup qualifier half a world away from their homeland when Australia hosts Thailand on Friday.
Holger Osieck, an assistant to Franz Beckenbauer when West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, leads Australia into its first match of Asian qualifying. The Socceroos were one of five countries to get a bye into the third round of continental qualifying.
Winfried Schaefer, who led Cameroon to the African Nations Cup title in 2002, will be taking charge of his first major game as Thailand coach, since replacing former Manchester United and England star Bryan Robson.
In another Group D match Friday, former Barcelona and Netherlands coach Frank Rijkaard leads Saudi Arabia in an away match against Oman.
