Former Japan international Shinji Ono says that people in his nation are very aware that the Australian team possesses a lot of quality.
Ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifier in Brisbane next month, the Shimizu S-Pulse midfielder is predicting a tough battle for the Blue Samurai.
"But Japan people know the Australian quality, I think it will be a difficult game." "It's a difficult question - of course I have to say Japan win the game," he told Football Federation Australia's official website.
And Ono also reflected on his side's famous loss to Australia in the 2006 World Cup when they led with six minutes of regular time remaining before losing 3-1 in Kaiserslautern.
"I didn't start in the starting eleven and after 56 minutes it was 1-0 for Japan, after I came in and we lost 3-1, that's not my favourite memory.""My personal memory of 2006 in the World Cup in Germany, I was sitting on the bench at the start," he recalled.