HANOI – Australia coach Graham Arnold has handed defending champions Japan the favourites tag ahead of Saturday’s eagerly anticipated AFC Asian Cup quarter-final showdown between Asia’s heavyweights in Hanoi.

Australia needed a 4-0 victory over Thailand in their final Group A game to advance, while Japan eased through by topping Group B and remain in northern Vietnam, all factors which lead Arnold to lean in the direction of Ivica’s Osim’s side ahead of kick-off at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi.

“I think Japan deserve to be favourites. If you look at the group games they have been in better form than us,” said Arnold, who enjoyed two years in Japan with J.League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

“Their local players in the J.League are in the middle of their season so at this stage they deserve to be favourites, but saying that, Australians love to be underdogs. We had our first final against Thailand, we came through that, and this is our second one.”

The Socceroos made a slow start to their maiden continental adventure after a draw against Oman and defeat by Iraq, but Arnold is confident his side will again produce the required performance on Saturday after storming to the crucial victory over Thailand.

Arnold goes into the game without the suspended Luke Wikshire, who collected a second yellow card during the victory over Thailand, but with Lucas Neill returning from a ban, Brett Emerton will take up the vacant midfield role on the right and Michael Beauchamp and Mark Milligan will join the West Ham man in a three man central defensive backline.

“It’s going to be a very difficult game as Japan have shown some good form in the group stage. We have grown in momentum in our three games and we are looking forward to the game,” he said.

“This game has come at a great time for us; maybe the first two games against Oman and Iraq shocked the players in showing how difficult the tournament is. You are going to have to come up against one of the favourites sometime and I’m quite happy to come up against them now.

“Japan have played a slow, patient style up to now in Hanoi but a fast pace would suit us because we have got players who thrive on fast football and love playing fast attacking football.”

Arnold has also played down any advantage his side may have following Australia’s victory over Japan at last summer FIFA World Cup which has dominated the majority of pre-match build-up.

“It’s a totally different competition, the Asian Cup it totally different from the World Cup last year. There are different players involved and different coaches involved,” said Arnold, who worked under Guus Hiddink in Germany.

“Japan are a very, very good side and we are going to have to perform at our best to be successful. We have trained very well over the last few days since we have been here in Vietnam, the group is very happy. The 4-0 victory over Thailand gave us a lot of confidence and we are looking forward to it,” said Arnold. Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 3:40 AM