Targeting a place in the tournament's finals in South Korea in July 2013, Osieck and his squad - trimmed from an initial 25 to 20 - will depart for Hong Kong on Friday.

Adelaide United playmaker Dario Vidosic, Guangzhou R&F midfielder Rostyn Griffiths and veteran Dinamo Moscow right-back Luke Wilkshire were all ruled out through injury, with Vidosic's team-mate Osama Malik and Brisbane Roar winger Ben Halloran the unlucky duo to be cut.

It means potential Socceroos debuts for Terry Antonis, Dino Djulbic, Ivan Franjic, Michael Marrone, Aaron Mooy, Matt Smith, Adam Taggart and Mat Ryan, with the latter to battle Adelaide's Eugene Galekovic for the gloves.

The squad has been drawn largely from the A-League and contains just four overseas-based players, as the match days fall outside FIFA dates.

Osieck's side faces a grueling schedule of four games in seven days, beginning with the opening match with Hong Kong on Monday.

The Socceroos must finish top of the qualifying standings in order to win a place at the tournament proper, ahead of the hosts, North Korea, Guam and Chinese Taipei.

Socceroos squad:
Terry Antonis, Eli Babalj, Aziz Behich, Robert Cornthwaite, Dino Djulbic, Ivan Franjic, Brett Emerton, Eugene Galekovic, Richard Garcia, Scott Jamieson, Michael Marrone, Matt McKay, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, Mat Ryan, Matt Smith, Adam Taggart, Archie Thompson, Michael Thwaite