Japan will be aiming to secure a ticket to Brazil while Australia will be desperate for points when the two teams square off in a crucial World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Japan leads Group B of Asian qualifying with 13 points and can secure a fifth straight World Cup appearance with a draw. Even if they lose, Alberto Zaccheroni's side will get a second chance in its last qualifier against Iraq on June 11 in Qatar.
Australia needs a positive result to reignite its lackluster campaign. With the top two teams in the group to qualify directly to the 2014 World Cup, Holger Osieck's side is third on six points and is coming off a disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Oman in March.
Under pressure to get results, Osieck is going with a veteran squad that includes Lucas Neill, Josh Kennedy, Sasa Ognenovski, Tim Cahill and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
''It's a massive game against Japan,'' Cahill said. ''If you are going to qualify for the World Cup then you have to beat the best, and at the moment they are the best.''
Japan heads into Tuesday's match having lost two games in a row: A 2-0 loss to Bulgaria in a friendly on May 30 and a forgettable 2-1 away loss to Jordan in March when it could have secured its place in the finals with a draw.
One question mark for Zaccheroni will be the fitness of his Europe-based players, many who have just finished their seasons. Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki and Gotoku Sakai arrive from their respective teams the day before the Australia game.
Honda missed Thursday's friendly against Bulgaria to play in the Russian Cup final with CSKA Moscow on Saturday.
Zaccheroni will also keep a close eye on Inter Milan's Yuto Nagatomo who tore the meniscus in his left knee this spring but opted not to have surgery. Nagatomo returned with two matches left in Inter's season but is unsure how much he will play in Tuesday's match.
Japan experimented with a 3-4-3 system in the first half against Bulgaria but is likely to return to a 4-2-3-1 formation for Tuesday. Both goals given up against Bulgaria were on set plays, something the Australians have used effectively against Japan in the past.
Cahill is aware a defeat would be a major blow to Australia's chances of reaching a third-straight World Cup and said his team is prepared to do whatever it takes to leave Japan with at least one point.
''Sometimes it's unfair to say that we just go to the air a lot because we do play a lot of football,'' Cahill said. ''But when you go down in a game and you are against the eight-ball, you've got no choice but to swing it in the box.''
In the other Group B match, Iraq travels to Oman. With both teams bottom of the group, a victory is crucial for either side to have any chance to advance. Both sides will be hoping to maintain the form of their last matches, when Iraq beat Jordan while Oman earned a hard-fought draw away to Australia.
South Korea will be looking to solidify its position in Group A with a victory over last-place Lebanon in Beirut. Looking to make its ninth appearance in the World Cup, South Korea remains the favorite to advance although its campaign has not been without problems - drawing with Uzbekistan and losing to Iran. But the South Koreans beat Lebanon in an earlier qualifier 3-0 and are expected to win and go top of the group.
In the group's other game, Qatar host Iran in Doha for what is crucial match for both since they are tied for third in the group on seven points - four behind leader Uzbekistan with two matches remaining for Qatar and three for Iran.
Qatar is under pressure to show it has what it takes to compete on the biggest stages, given it will be hosting the 2022 World Cup.
''You will see us giving our maximum effort against Iran,'' defender Bilal Mohammed said. ''We are determined to pick up three points from this match. Picking up points in this match will give us the confidence for our next game against Uzbekistan.''
---
AP Sports Writer Michael Casey in Dubai contributed to this report.
