They've scrapped, they've scraped and they've even overcome a penalty shoot-out: it seems like nothing can stop Japan in their quest for a fourth Asian Cup title. Japan conceded a soft equaliser just seconds away from an extra-time win over arch-rivals South Korea in their semi-final, only for goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to stand tall as he saved the Taeguk Warriors' first two penalties in a one-sided shoot-out victory. Now Australia are all that stands between Japan and a record fourth Asian Cup crown, although the Socceroos could prove a formidable opponent after thrashing Uzbekistan 6-0 en route to a Khalifa Stadium showdown. That's especially the case now that Japan's quarter-final hero Shinji Kagawa has been ruled out through injury, with the Samurai Blue set to miss one of their most effective attacking outlets. Nagoya Grampus forward Jungo Fujimoto or Urawa Reds playmaker Yosuke Kashiwagi are potential replacements for coach Alberto Zaccheroni, although he could once again rely heavily on CSKA Moscow star Keisuke Honda - who has already been nominated for the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Honda missed a penalty in normal time during the dramatic win over South Korea - substitute Hajime Hosogai slammed home the rebound - and the highly-rated front man will be eager to improve on the big stage, with a host of European giants reputedly clamouring for his signature. Japan will need to overcome the strength and size of an Australian side desperate to claim a first ever Asian crown in what is only their second appearance in the tournament. Speed versus strength, skill versus size - it's shaping up to be a fascinating Asian Cup final, and one that Samurai Blue fans everywhere are hoping will confirm their status as Asia's premier side. Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

Australian defender Eddy Bosnar continues to impress with his whole-hearted displays at the centre of the Shimizu S-Pulse defence, with the lanky Australian one of the star signings of the new J. League season. Bosnar has also earned plenty of plaudits for his thunderous free-kicks, and many are now calling for Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek to call up the tall stopper for Australia's World Cup campaign in South Africa. With dead-ball delivery like this, Bosnar may just be a bolter for selection in Australia's preliminary 27-man squad. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags World Cup Pens World Cup football

"Socceroo cover-up" reads the June 14 headline of Sydney's widely circulated Sunday Telegraph, with the round ball game earning rare front page coverage from the News Limited mouthpiece. It's not for exploits on the pitch that football is making headlines in Australia, but rather for the allegation that Everton midfielder Tim Cahill was expelled from a Kings Cross nightclub last week for drunk and disorderly behaviour. In an email circulated to media representatives just hours before newspapers hit the press, Football Federation Australia claims to have investigated the incident and found no cause to sanction Cahill.

Australia's courageous Socceroos will wait until after their April World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan before undergoing the kind of self-interrogation critics of the national side suggest might be needed right now. Pim Verbeek's side dug deep in Yokohama against Japan on Wednesday night, exhausting even more luck from their depleted reserves to salvage a 0-0 draw. It was the national team's third straight unconvincing performance since sweeping aside Qatar 4-0 last October. On all measures, the home side should have won and claimed the outright lead of Group A from their closest challengers. Japan were slicker in possession and frugal at the back where the defenders easily coped with lone striker Tim Cahill. Only poor finishing led to the goalless stalemate which, with three of the final four qualifiers on home soil, clearly suits the top-of-the-table Socceroos. Australia's finest were central defensive pairing Lucas Neill and Craig Moore, with left-back Scott Chipperfield also worthy of a mention after two months sidelined with a foot injury. But Neill, who must quickly recover from the 14,000-mile round trip to face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Saturday, was nonplussed about Australia's latest indifferent display. “It's not been ideal - the way we've flown in for a day and then had to play,'' he said afterwards. “Come the next game against Uzbekistan (at ANZ Stadium on April 1) if we don't perform well we'll have to start questioning ourselves. "But with eight days to prepare for a tough home game I think you will see a much more attacking side with more chances created." Verbeek's men could wrap up qualification for South Africa in April - in stark contrast to 2005's memorable double header against Uruguay which went to the wire. Then, the Socceroos squeezed into only their second finals thanks to Mark Schwarzer's penalty shootout heroics - and that after a long and winding final campaign in Oceania. The Uzbeks travel to Sydney bottom of the group after their surprise 1-0 home defeat to Bahrain, with victory likely to leave Australia at least six points clear of the third-placed Bahrainis, the team the Socceroos host in June. “Tonight we won't talk about the negatives," continued the West Ham skipper. “We're just happy to have kept another clean sheet and if we win our next game at home, technically we're probably there.'' No case for the defence The Newcastle Jets - deposed A-League champions following a disastrous title defence when they won just four times - have commenced the inevitable cull which follows such a lacklustre campaign. Ahead of their AFC Champions League group opener next month, Gary van Egmond has unveiled a brand new central defensive pairing in Ljubo Milicevic and Ange Costanzo and three new strikers. Milicevic, a former Australian Olympic captain, has been out of the spotlight since his contract with Melbourne Victory was terminated amid allegations of substance abuse - claims he denies. Meanwhile, Costanzo arrives from Champions League finalists Adelaide United and further helps soften the impact of losing Socceroos centre half Jade North to K-League side Incheon United. Van Egmond's overhaul of his forwards after Newcastle scored just 21 times in as many matches last season includes the acquisition of two foreign strikers in Dutchman Donny de Groot and Italian Fabio Vignaroli. The Jets have also brought in journeyman forward Sasho Petrovski who becomes the first A-League player to represent all three NSW clubs. Petrovski, the one-time Socceroos striker, played for Sydney FC in seasons one and two before joining the Central Coast Mariners. Joel Griffiths is on-loan to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan until the end of the calendar year. Copyright © Marc Fox and Soccerphile.com Australian Soccer News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

If the pressure was well and truly on Japan coach Takeshi Okada going into his side's World Cup qualifier with Australia in Yokohama, then the resultant 0-0 draw will have done little to alleviate it. Japan dominated in front of 65,571 fans at Yokohama International Stadium, but a combination of poor finishing and dogged defending from the Socceroos saw Pim Verbeek's team snatch a hard-earned point. Missing English Premier League stars Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Brett Emerton through injury, Pim Verbeek's decision not to field a single recognised striker from the start spoke volumes for Australia's approach to this clash. It was left to the Blue Samurai to dictate the tempo as they surged forward in search of an early goal to calm the nerves of the home fans, and they almost found one when Nagoya Grampus striker Keiji Tamada hit the side netting after just five minutes. Japan's best chance arrived from a Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick, but the Celtic wizard fired his effort well over the crossbar. When Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo took over free-kick duties late in the first half he failed to even beat the wall - however the diminutive midfielder did manage to sting Mark Schwarzer's palms with a stinging long-range drive with twenty minutes remaining. For their part Australia managed just a solitary shot on goal for the entirety of the match, as Verbeek's plan to take a point from this tricky-looking fixture came to fruition. Australia's spoiling tactics were lamented in some circles Down Under, but on the whole the pragmatic Dutchman has received faint praise for taking 10 points from the opening four final round qualifiers. Japan's next clash is at home to Bahrain in Saitama on March 28, while on April 1 Australia take on Uzbekistan in Sydney Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting