Matildas Rio 2016 Olympic Qualifiers path determined

Australia's Road to Rio 2016 has been made clearer with the release of the AFC Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 – Final Qualification Round schedule.

The opening match sees the Matildas take on the other AFC heavyweight and familiar foe Japan on 29 February 2015 at Kincho Stadium, Osaka.

“I guess there is no better time to play Japan than first up when we’re fresh and they’re fresh,” said head coach Alen Stajcic.

“We’ve played them three times in the last 18 months and those results were a draw and two narrow losses so we know we’re in the ball park to match them, we’ve just got to do it on the day.”

Stajcic is preparing the Matildas to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time since 2004 through the second toughest confederation qualification process.

The AFC Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 will see six countries playing in a round robin tournament over 10 days with the top 2 points winners qualifying for Rio 2016.

“It’s a bit like the World Cup. It’s almost like a Group of Death trying to qualify and we’ve got our blockbuster first up.”

The six nations include 5 teams in the world top 20 including hosts and World Cup silver medallists Japan, world no. 6 DPR Korea, world no. 15 China PR, world no. 17Korea Republic and world no. 33 Vietnam .

Australia will take on Japan, Vietnam, Korea Republic, DPR Korea before finishing with China.

"Four teams made it through to the knockout stages of the World Cup and then you throw in DPR Korea who weren’t at the World Cup because of their drug suspension, so there is no easy order but it’s probably good to get Japan first up because it gives everyone focus and concentration for the path ahead.

“There’s no such thing as a good draw when you’re playing a schedule like that so you’ve just got to take it as it comes.”

Currently Australia's 2015/2016 preparations for the qualifiers in  will see five training camps – one in December, two in January and three in February before the squad departs for Osaka on 22 February.