The Socceroos will face fellow World Cup qualifiers Ecuador next month in one of Australia’s final warm-up matches before the Brazil showpiece.
With the world number 23 Ecuador, which boasts names including Manchester United midfielder Antonio Valencia, ranked 33 places above Australia, the match will provide Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou with a good opportunity to test his charges before he decides on his extended World Cup squad later in March.
The friendly clash will be played in London on March 5 at The Den, home of English Championship side Millwall. On the same day, Greece will take on South Korea in Piraeus as they too look to ready themselves ahead of the Cup.
For Australia, it will be the first meeting between the sides at full international level and will serve as crucial preparation for the World Cup finals in June, where Australia will take on Spain, the Netherlands and Chile.
The Socceroos will later play a farewell clash in Sydney in late May before departing for Brazil, with South Africa reported as the likely opponent.
They will then play two more international friendlies in Brazil before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Chile on June 13.
Croatia is all but confirmed as one of the opponents.
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou will name his preliminary squad a week before the Ecuador match.
Source: AAP.
