There is little doubt for Australia to advance to the knockout stage in their debut in the coming Asian Cup.

The question is, who will be the next to qualify from Group A which also consists of Iraq, Oman and Thailand.

With a squad filled with names playing for big European clubs, no one will be surprised Australians will compete at the AFC Asian Cup as one of the favorites to lift the trophy.

English Premier players Mark Viduka, Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell have been included in the 23-man squad for Australia's maiden Asian Cup challenge.

"They will have all the information that they need regarding the Asian teams, they'll be mentally right for the job at hand and we will be going across there to be successful, " said coach Graham Arnold after announcing his Asian Cup squad earlier this month.

After Australia, Iraq will have to compete with co-host Thailand to grab the other ticket for the second round.

Trouble at home has affected Iraq's preparations in the lead-up to the tournament but they have still managed to show that the war-torn country boasts several talented players.

Iraq have never won the Asian Cup but have qualified for the quarter-finals in the last three tournaments and will be looking to extend that record.

After booking their sixth Asian Cup finals appearance this summer, Iraq suffered a disappointing start to the year after they were knocked out in the first round of the Gulf Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

The Gulf Cup exit signaled big changes for the national team as the Iraqi Football Association decided to sack coach Akram Salman, who was replaced with Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira.

Vieira will have a lot of work to do before the start of the competition, which may give Thailand a chance. Thailand has a high status in South East Asia but now have to prove themselves at the very highest level of Asian football.

As one of the four co-hosts Thailand were spared the qualification process and Chanvit Polchovin's side have been preparing well as they attempt to make their mark in Asia.

In addition to an intensive training camp in Germany in June and the Asean Football Federation Championship at the start of the year, Thailand have warmed up with numerous friendlies, including matches with the Netherlands, China and Group A rivals Iraq. In May, Thailand defeated Asian Cup 2004 hosts and runners-up China 1-0.

However, despite their undeniable speed and skill there is yet to emerge an out-and-out goalscorer.

As one of four co-hosts, Thailand can depend on its team to perform better than usual under humid air and hot weather. It will be not a big surprise if they qualify.

Oman, who made their first appearance in the Asian Cup finals in 2004 and failed to advance past the group stage, only had three months to prepare for the matches. Their opportunity to qualify is slim, though not impossible.

Source: Xinhua