THE Australians will be heading for their fourth Fifa World Cup finals appearance in Brazil next month, where they will be hoping to match the achievement of reaching the knockout stages eight years ago.

Qualification for the tournament in Brazil began in 2011 for the Socceroos, who comfortably progressed from the first group phase with five wins from six matches. The next stage proved more difficult as they failed to register a victory in the first three games.

But two late goals from Tim Cahill and Archie Thompson in a 2-1 win away at Iraq kickstarted their campaign. They then picked up eight points from the final four games to finish in the runners-up spot to Japan, booking their ticket to the finals in the process.

Ange Postecoglou was appointed manager last October, replacing German Holger Osieck, sacked after back-to-back 6-0 friendly thrashings against Brazil and France.

Postecoglou, a Greece-born Australian, will take charge of his first competitive international fixture on June 13 against Chile in Cuiaba.

His Australia side is the lowest-ranked nation in Brazil and their task has not been helped by being placed in the proverbial “group of death,” which also includes both of the 2010 World Cup finalists, Spain and Holland.

As promised, Postecoglou has named a youthful squad, with a host of inexperienced players, most of whom have less than 10 caps. However, one name that will be familiar to viewers of the Premier League is Cahill.

The former Everton man, who now plays in the US for New York Red Bulls, will provide the main goal threat, in particular from set-pieces, but the Aussies will need to ease the burden on their all-time top scorer if they are to progress from this group. 

Much will rest on the shoulders of Matthew Spiranovic in the heart of a defence which will be without three of the most experienced centre-backs, Lucas Neill, Sasa Ognenovski and former Middlesbrough captain Rhys Williams.