China to play Australia in October

China's Shao Jiayi (C) is mobbed by teammates after scoring a goal, 15 July. Australia will play China in a football international in Sydney on October 13, Football Federation Australia said Monday.

Australia will play China in a football international here on October 13, Football Federation Australia said Monday.

The Socceroos and China flopped at last month's Asian Cup. The Australians struggled out of their Bangkok group before losing to Japan on penalties in the quarter-finals, while the Chinese went out in the group phase.

The Sydney match will follow Australia's international with two-time World Cup champions Argentina in Melbourne on September 11.

Australia beat China 2-0 in Guangzhou last March with goals from Brett Holman and Mark Bresciano.

FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said he expected Australia's strongest squad to be available for both home matches.

"We've got no reason to expect that we won't have a full (strength) team for either the China game or the game against Argentina," Buckley told reporters.

"We've written to the (European-based) players over the past few days just outlining the schedule over the next six to 12 months and we'll be in discussions with them about their own individual programmes.

"But we've got no reason to believe that they won't be here and that they won't want to play against two extremely important sides."