Road to Brazil: Group B

There are zero easy games when it comes to World Cup Qualification but if we are to believe that someone in our group are likely to be the victim of a Qantas Socceroos assault then surely it must be Oman.

There are zero easy games when it comes to World Cup Qualification but if we are to believe that someone in our group are likely to be the victim of a Qantas Socceroos assault then surely it must be Oman.

The tiny nation have earned the ire of the Aussies after defeating us 1-0 in Muscat back in November but that shouldn-t deter us from bouncing back and trouncing them as the action for spots in the final tournament truly heats up and in truth they and Jordan will likely be making up the numbers in Group B of the Asian qualifiers.

The real tests will come from Iraq on October 16 and Japan on June 6 in Brisbane.

Make no mistake, the Iraqi-s have come out the era of oppression, that was represented by the leadership of the nation by Saddam Hussein with a new free spirit.

No longer do the players face threats of violence from brutal overlords, especially after claims were made by former star midfielder Habib Jaafer that he was tortured by then head of football Uday Hussein.

"Just coming to this gate fills me with fear," he said of Iraq-s Olympic building after it burned to the ground in 2003.

"So often, when I came here, I knew that days of punishment lay ahead."

Almost ten years on from then football in Iraq is bright again and the team is being led by Brazilian legend Zico who has he team doing the right things on the pitch.

And their attitude is right, their captain, Younis Mahmoud has publicly gone on the record and stated that the team do not fear group heavyweights Japan or Australia, but would prefer to attack them, and attack they likely will.

In their eight matches thus far they have belted in 16 goals and conceded just four and Mahmoud himself has scored six of those and is a man that must be watched by the Socceroos.

Traditionally tough opponents the Iraqis and the Socceroos have plit their last two matches, 1-0 being the score both ways in each encounter and they will be keen to prove they are better than their FIFA World Ranking of 72.

While Iraq will represent a tough, uncompromising opponent, Japan-s Blue Samurai represent the long-term benchmark in Asian football style.

Their swift passing game is well known to many and they have been at the top of the Asian tree for a long period and after defeating the Socceroos 1-0 in the 2011 Asian Cup Final are the Champions of Asia once again.

And they have a true player to fear in their squad.

The talents of Shinji Kagawa in the midfield have taken him all the way to the top of the Bundesliga with current champions Borussia Dortmund and word from the horses mouth is that he has attracted the interest of the larger than life Sir Alex Ferguson, the latter making overtures for the 23-year-old to become a Red Devil in the near future.

If there needed to be confirmation of his talent then that is indeed it.

As for his role in the national team Kagawa has managed to show his skills on a routine basis and has netted nine times in 29 matches, but he is a goalscoring machine as his 29 goals in 41 matches for Dortmund suggest... oh and last time we played Japan, and lost, their star youngster was out with injury.

This time he will be ready.