Uzbekistan coach Vadim Abramov said Sunday he was wary of Australia's big-match experience ahead of their Asian Cup semi-final clash after watching them grind down Iraq to make the last four.
Abramov was among the crowd at Al-Sadd Stadium on Saturday evening to watch Socceroo Harry Kewell score an extra-time winner to send the defending champions home.
Most of the Australian team play in Europe and the Uzbek handler said their experience made the difference against Iraq.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"I think the extensive international experience of some key Australian players helped them win the match because Iraq are a very strong team," he told the official Asian Cup website.
"The level of play was of the highest standard but the experience of individual performers was the overall crucial factor."
Abramov's team, who beat Jordan in their quarter-final, face Australia on Tuesday with the prospect of a final against either Japan or South Korea at stake.
He predicted an ultra-tough match.
"I foresee very tough opposition in the semi-final," he said, adding that striker Alexander Geynrikh and goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov were on track to full recovery after picking up minor knocks against Jordan.
Despite a lowly world ranking of just 108, Uzbekistan have been impressive in Doha, beating hosts Qatar and then Kuwait before drawing with China in the group stages.
