Football Federation Australia today announced that the U-23 Australian Olyroos will travel to Japan next month to play a friendly match against the Japanese U-23 National team at the Tohoku Denryoku Bigswan Stadium, Niigata on Wednesday 1 June 2011.

The match will be a curtain-raiser before the senior men’s international between Japan and Peru which will follow directly afterwards.

Olyroos Head Coach Aurelio Vidmar knows the value of testing his players against the Japanese and also the gravity of travelling there at this moment in time.

“To play opposition of the calibre of Japan in the lead up to our qualifiers is a fantastic opportunity for us at this stage of our preparations.

“Japan have a proud football history at youth and senior level, but I am confident that we will be able to match them.

“I have many great memories of my time as a player in Japan (with Sanfreece Hiroshima) so to be able to assist the Japanese team in their recovery after the tragedies that have recently affected them is an honour and privilege,” concluded Vidmar.

The Olyroos are currently in Melbourne for a training camp with Australian-based players to prepare for the upcoming 2012 London Olympic Games Asian Qualifiers where they will face Yemen on the 19th and 23rd June 2011 with the venues to be confirmed.

Football Federation Australia