HANOI – Australia striker Mark Viduka has admitted his battle with Japan’s veteran centre-back Yuji Nakazawa could be a major factor in deciding who comes out on top in Saturday’s AFC Asian Cup quarter-final meeting at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi.

Three-time winners Japan and Australia, making their first Asian Cup appearance, were billed as pre-tournament favourites and the battle between Viduka and Nakazawa is set to be a major factor in determining who advances to a semi-final meeting with either Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan in Hanoi next Wednesday.

Newcastle striker Viduka headed home two late goals in the must-win triumph over Thailand which helped secure Australia’s passage into the last eight after Graham Arnold’ side had weathered a second half storm from the co-hosts, who only needed a draw to advance and send the Socceroos crashing out.

The 31-year-old former Leeds and Middlesbrough frontman was also on the scoresheet during the 3-1 defeat by Iraq, while Yokohama Marinos defender Nakazawa led Japan to the top of Group B with a string of commanding displays for the defending champions.

“The last time we met I found him a very difficult defender to play against. He is big, he is strong and also very mobile and a very difficult player and it will be a big battle,” said Viduka.

“We both also have other strengths in our team apart from us two. We got players on the bench who can come on a make a difference so it should be a good all round battle.

“They have just come through their season so maybe they are fitter than us and accustomed to the weather and they do have an advantage over us in terms of that, but we are now getting to a point where we are getting used to it. But for both sides it’s going to be a difficult thing to overcome.”

Australia’s lacklustre displays against Oman, which saw a point rescued by a stoppage time strike from substitute Tim Cahill, and the defeat by group winners Iraq led to Arnold and his side coming under severe criticism from certain sections back home.

But Viduka was delighted as the Socceroos responded to down Thailand, capped off by two trademark headers from the veteran striker, who made his international debut in 1994.

“We started off on the wrong foot in the first two games in our group and were deserved to be criticised for the way that we played,” he added. “The criticism started to be focused on non-football things, especially in Australia, and we all knew in the last game we needed a good result and I think it brought us together and put us all in the same boat and gave us that extra motivation to do well.

“It’s always a good thing for a striker to score goals. Sometimes you have a blinder and you don’t get a sniff on goal but sometimes you have a shocker and they bounce off your backside and they go in. It’s always a good confidence factor when you score goals for any player, striker or non-striker.

“In the last game against Thailand I didn’t think I had played that well but I scored two goals and it could have been down to the formation. At the clubs I have played at I have always played with two strikers and personally I think it’s a lot easier to have somebody else up there, not just for myself, but it gives the other players another person to target.”

The Newcastle striker, who made the switch for St James’ Park from Middlesbrough at the end of the last domestic season in England, has revealed a long held respect for current Japan coach Ivica Osim, admitting their paths have crossed prior to this weekend’s meeting in northern Vietnam.

“I have always admired him as a coach since he coached the Yugoslavia national team at the World Cup in Italy,” said the striker. “I have always known of him and a few times when I was playing in Croatia we played some friendly matches against Sturm Graz where he was coaching at the time.

“I never met him until I played in a testimonial for Zvonimir Boban in Zagreb and he was the coach of the team I was playing for. I have found him to be a very approachable person and he made a good impression on me.” Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 12:07 PM