Australia opens WCup home qualifying campaign vs Bangladesh

Asian Cup champion Australia will play its first home match of its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign in Perth, Western Australia on Sept. 3 against Bangladesh.

Football Federation Australia said Wednesday that it will be the first Socceroos match in Perth in 10 years and Australia’s first home match since winning the Asian Cup in January.

Australia’s other opponents in Asian qualifying Group B for Russia are Jordan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Australia failed to make it past the group stages at the past two World Cup tournaments and lost to eventual champion Italy in the second round of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

The Asian Football Confederation drew eight, five-team qualifying groups on Tuesday. Group winners and the four best runners-up advance to the next group stage.

-AP