Aussies primed to take on Brazil

JACKSON Irvine insists the Socceroos’ inferiority complex is consigned to the past as Australia prepare to go hard at world No.1 Brazil before tackling more global heavy-hitters at the Confederations Cup.

Ange Postecoglou’s national team arrived in Melbourne on Friday night, buoyed after Thursday’s 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia gently lifted their World Cup qualifying campaign off a knife’s edge.

Irvine said the vital triumph in Adelaide has the Socceroos well-primed for the remainder of a huge June that continues at the MCG for Tuesday’s friendly against Brazil and culminates at the Confederations Cup.

In Russia, Australia will face formidable opposition in world No.3 Germany, world No.4 Chile and African champions Cameroon.

Midfielder Irvine conceded the mood might have been starkly different had a draw or loss to the Saudis sent them hurtling towards gruelling playoffs for a fourth consecutive World Cup.

“We were aware of the pressure ... now we have it (the win over Saudi Arabia) in the bag it does set us up in a positive light for the month,” Irvine said.

“We want to go and compete for another trophy. It starts with a performance against Brazil.”

Easier said than done, as the Socceroos learned in 2013. Skipper Mile Jedinak, Robbie Kruse, Ryan McGowan, Mark Milligan and Tom Rogic will all remember playing in that forgettable 6-0 thumping, a month before former coach Holger Osieck was sacked.

But 24-year-old Irvine, Burton Albion’s player of the season and one of Postecoglou’s most promising talents, said the Socceroos had bought into their coach’s rejection of Australia’s traditional tag as plucky underdogs.

“One of the biggest things the boss tried to instil in this squad is belief and change of mindset, that we’re not little Australia competing against these nations,” Irvine said.

“If we ever want to become a world-class nation we need to believe we can not just compete, but go and beat these teams.”

Brazil’s Friday night 1-0 friendly loss to Argentina at the MCG was the first of Tite’s tenure, and came in the absence of megastar Neymar.