Neill confident Australia will win Asian Cup

SYDNEY, May 10 (Reuters) Lucas Neill believes Australia will stroll through this year's Asian Cup to win the region's most prestigious tournament at their first attempt.

The defender expected Japan and South Korea to put up a fight but said Australia were supremely confident of success.

''From a player point of view, I expect us to go there and be undefeated,'' Neill told reporters in Australia via a teleconference today.

''I really think that we've got a team now and a squad now that can handle the conditions.

''Enough of us have played on the big stage now that we won't be intimidated by the teams that we're going to play against.'' Neill said Australia's biggest danger was complacency. They are in the same group as Thailand, Iraq and Oman and could get to the final without playing either Japan or South Korea.

''We need to approach each game professionally, make sure we get through our group and not make any silly mistakes in the late stages because I want to go over there to win,'' Neill said.

''If we don't approach every game with the perfect preparation, with the perfect mentality, then we're going to come unstuck.

''The obvious teams around us like Japan and South Korea who, with World Cup experience, will definitely be strong teams -- we'll need to be at our very best, on and off the pitch, mentally and physically, to overcome them.

The Asian Cup will take place in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in July.

Australia are the early favourites to win the title after being the only Asian team to make it past the group phase at last year's World Cup in Germany.

The Socceroos are making their Asian Cup debut after leaving the Oceania Football Confederation last year to join the Asian equivalent in the hope of playing better opposition.

REUTERS BJR RAI1900