Australia reschedules Asian Cup game against Lebanon

MELBOURNE, May 15 : World Cup finalists Australia have rescheduled a postponed Asian Cup qualifier against Lebanon for Adelaide on August 31, Football Federation Australia said today.

The original fixture, scheduled for March 1, was postponed to allow Australia an opportunity to find a tougher friendly opponent for its preparations before the finals in Germany starting on June 9.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) allowed teams who qualified for the World Cup to postpone their qualifiers until after the tournament and coach Guus Hiddink eventually held a training camp in the Netherlands in place of the friendly.

The Socceroos play reigning European champions Greece at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 25 before flying to Europe for friendlies against the Netherlands in Rotterdam on June 4 and Liechtenstein in Ulm, Germany on June 7.

Australia are drawn in the same Asian Cup qualifying pool as Lebanon, Bahrain and Kuwait.

The Australians beat Bahrain 3-1 in their first match under the AFC banner in their opening Asian Cup qualifier in Manama in February.

REUTERS