Australia

Group B

How did they get here: By winning the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. The Socceroos defeated South Korea 2-1 in a contest that really put them on the map in Asia. Although they joined the AFC in 2006 earning Asia’s top honors for the first time seemed to cement their status in the Confederation (Although that may be changing in the coming years).

Schedule: Germany (6/19, Sochi), Cameroon (6/22, St. Petersburg), and Chile (6/25)

Coach: Ange Postecoglu

Players to Keep An Eye On: Goalkeeper Matthew Ryan (Brighton and Hove Albion), defender Trent Sainsbury (Jiangsu Suning), midfielder Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town-Manchester City), and forward Tim Cahill (Melbourne City)

Outlook: Australia enters this year’s FIFA Confederations Cup with something to prove. Despite having reached the last three World Cups they find themselves locked in a very difficult campaign (4-4-0, 16 points, +6 Goal Differential) with Saudi Arabia (5-1-2, 16 Points, +7 Goal Differential) with only one of two automatic spots from the AFC’s Group B still up for grabs (Japan has already qualified from this group). Although third place does guarantee a spot in a qualification match against AFC’s Group A for an intercontinental playoff berth against a CONCACAF side qualifying the direct route is still the preferred route. So with two final matches to play in Group B Ange Postecoglu’s side need to be ready and what better way to do that than with the Confederations Cup?

For this side to make it out of Group B they are going to need a better effort on the defensive front. The reason why this side is still in the hunt for a World Cup spot rather than in the World Cup is because of their inability to hold leads. They very nearly made it four times earlier in the month when Saudi Arabia came back not once, but twice in Adelaide. Postecoglu has been attempting to bring in younger players like Bailey Wright (Bristol City) and Aziz Behich (Bursaspor) to get this side ready for the next ten years. But the growing pains are still present. Goalkeeper Matt Ryan, who just signed a 17 million pound deal with Brighton and Hove Albion, will have his hands full keeping the backline organized.

Up top Postecoglu is still pining his hopes that either Tomi Juric (FC Luzern) or Matthew Leckie (Hertha Berlin) can finally become consistent goal-scorers. It has been a long, hard road to get to this point but Juric’s recent brace against Saudi Arabia and Leckie’s two goals against Iraq and the United Arab Emirates back in March (a draw and win respectively) seem to have given each a second chance. Jaime MacLaren, who signed with SV Darmstadt after earning the A-League’s Young Footballer of the Year with the Brisbane Roar, is waiting in the wings and may just take one of their spots with a strong showing in this tournament.

Of course one can also not talk about Australia without talking about Tim Cahill. Cahill was seemingly given the perfect opportunity to walk away from the Socceroos in 2015 after winning the AFC Cup. Yet here he is at the age of 37 still in the mix for the Confederations Cup and potentially the World Cup. While Cahill’s best days are certainly behind him, he can still deliver those little moments of magic that have made him such a loved both in Australia and elsewhere. What will be interesting to see is how he is used in this tournament. As a second half substitute he would certainly give his side a much-needed boost. But without captain Mile Jedinak does Postecoglu trust his younger players to run a match in a big tournament? How he uses Cahill will say quite a bit about how he feels his side is progressing.