The last time the Socceroos had a serious engagement in Vietnam was in October 1972. Back then, Rale Rasic took his team to Saigon in search of some tough football ahead of the World Cup qualifying campaign for West Germany 1974.

What better place for a team of Aussie battlers to find their feet than in war ravaged Saigon?

Legendary goalkeeper Jack Reilly tells the tale of how, flying into the city, he could see the outline of tracer fire and flares on the outskirts of town. Jack’s a tough Scotsman, it didn’t faze him. He did, however, start to feel a bit nervy before the match at The Cong Hoa stadium when he stuck his head out of the dressing room door before kick-off to see a bloke in army fatigues with a hand-held mine-sweeper doing a once over of the penalty box.

Australia went on to beat South Vietnam 1-nil courtesy of Branko Buljevic’s goal. The World Cup beckoned and it seemed Asia could be left behind.

Thirty five years later, Australia returns to Vietnam, to the northern city of Hanoi and this time it’s all about Asia. If Jack Reilly and his pioneering Socceroos take time to think about it, that tour of South East Asia in 1972 set Australian Football on the long and difficult path to becoming a part of the Asian football family.

Saturday night’s quarter final of the AFC Asian Cup against Japan shapes up as a coming of age game for the Socceroos in their quest to integrate with one of the game’s emerging power blocks. Along with the continuing advance of African football (which is no doubt hampered by the economic, social and political turmoil affecting the entire continent),Asian football has the potential to challenge the cosy détente between European and South American football that has dominated the game for decades.

Following their dramatic encounter in Kaiserslautern in 2006, the clash between the Socceroos and The Blue Samurai was envisaged as the dream final for this tournament, but Australia’s lacklustre performance in the group stage here has meant the two teams will have their re-match in the quarter final.

Graham Arnold’s bold initiative to start the match against Thailand with a team that included Sydney FC stars Mark Milligan and David Carney and A-League graduate, former Central Coast defender Michael Beauchamp, was richly rewarded with the trio putting in standout performances.

With the combination working well last time we could see big name stars Kewell and Cahill start on the bench again. While they remain the key to the Socceroos’ ultimate success in this tournament, it’s a great boost for the domestic competition that players from the A-League are seen as essential to the national team.

Captain Mark Viduka’s goals were essential in Bangkok and he’ll need to provide more here for Australia to progress. Harry Kewell will again be expected to provide the threat coming from wider areas when he gets the chance.

Lucas Neill returns after his stint in front of the mirror after the red card against Iraq. He’ll need to be at his best. Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura and Frankfurt striker Naohiro Takahara are in menacing form, and they’ll be looking to erase memories of those six minutes in Kaiserslautern.

So, no minesweeper needed for the penalty box this time, Jack. It’s going to be just as nerve-wracking none the less.