Soccer-Japan ready for Australian aerial assault

Nov 17 (Reuters) - Japan defender Maya Yoshida expects Australia to go 'route one' in their Asian Cup tune-up on Tuesday and the centre back is ready for a meaty clash with Tim Cahill in the Osaka friendly. Japan, who are favourites to defend their title at the Jan. 9-31 Asian Cup, swatted aside Honduras 6-0 on Friday but Yoshida knows their encounter with the Socceroos will provide a much more accurate picture of their current form. Yoshida said that while the margin of victory over Honduras suggested Japan had it easy on Friday, they had actually been forced to work hard to take control. "Until the third goal I didn't think it was an easy game but after 3-0 up everyone felt it was much better," Japan's Kyodo News quoted Yoshida as saying. "But Australia will be much more difficult. Cahill is the one of the most difficult strikers to play against in Asia. Physically he is very strong and is a great header of the ball. "I think they will try and play long balls to him and pick up the second balls to shoot, but of course I am looking forward to playing against him." After a demoralising 4-0 defeat to Brazil in Singapore last month, Japan delivered a more assured performance against Honduras with playmaker Keisuke Honda running the show, scoring one and setting up two others. The Japanese are still finding their feet under new coach Javier Aguirre, who took over from Alberto Zaccheroni following Japan's disappointing group stage exit at the World Cup. Yoshida said Japan had much to prove after their early exit in Brazil and that their fans demanded success in Asia at the very least. "Of course Japan have the most pressure because we are always expected to win in Asia," he added. "Many of our supporters were disappointed after the World Cup. "We have to show our quality again and I want to show them that we are not dead yet." Four-times champions Japan, who beat Australia 1-0 in the 2011 final, have been drawn in a straightforward Group D for the upcoming tournament alongside Jordan, Iraq and Palestine. (Writing by Peter Rutherford in Seoul; Editing by)