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Asian Cup preview: Australia aims for opening victory

Xinhua, January 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

As the host, the Australian team have bright prospects in front of their home fans in the opening game of Asian Cup meeting Kuwait here on Friday.

Although Australia suffered a three-game losing streak in 2014 World Cup, in Asia they still have advantages.

Australia's coach Ange Postecoglou recently named the 23-man squad with 16 players that featured in the 2014 World Cup finals, including the ever-dependable Tim Cahill and captain Mile Jedinak.

In the attacking line, veteran Cahill is always ready to score. Besides Cahill, Mark Bresciano, Robbie Kruse and Mathew Ryan are set to hit stride.

The average height of Australians' defense line is 1.85m and they are good at dealing with the ball in the air.

In comparison, most players of Kuwait are from their domestic leagues and there is a big gap between the two teams in terms of physiques, experience, team chemistry and personal ability.

"To be honest, the boys can't wait for Friday night. We've been on the road for 12 months and to walk out to a (predicted) sell-out crowd on Friday night, it's going to make the boys feel a couple of feet taller. I can't wait to get the match started," Coach Postecoglou said.

"Kuwait aren't scared of any team," Kuwait's midfielder Abdullah Al Buraiki declared. "Kuwait respects all the teams that play against us. Australia are a very good team... we will do our best in the game to win."

Australian culture is set to be an integral component at a highly anticipated opening ceremony on Friday.

Chart-topping Australian singer Havana Brown, pop band Sheppard and more than 200 junior footballers, dancers and professional performers will take to the field ahead of the tournament opener at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

The action-packed 11-minute opening ceremony will kick off a 23-day festival featuring 32 games between the top 16 football teams in Asia in a tournament with an expected television audience of 800 million.

Under the direction of Melbourne's Malaysian-born Chong Lim, the opening ceremony will showcase the best in Australian music, costume and dance, celebrating the country's diverse lifestyle, backgrounds, tastes and passion for football. Endi