While no draw would guarantee their progress to the knockout round, this Group B, which also features an improving Vietnam, presents a considerably stronger group-stage competition than the Matildas would have been hoping for.

In contrast, Group A will feature host nation Jordan, which will make just its second Women’s Asian Cup appearance, as well as China, which the Matildas twice comprehensively defeated on home soil in November, and the Philippines and Thailand.

The eight-nation Cup competition runs from 6–20 April 2018 with the top five nations progressing to the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France from 7 June to 7 July.

The draw was held last night at the King Hussein bin Talal Convention Centre on the eastern shores of the Dead Sea, in Sweimeh، Jordan.

Matildas Head Coach Alen Stajcic put a positive spin on the outcome.

“Obviously a very tough draw but one that we embrace and look forward to the challenge of,” Stajcic said.

“Having a group like this means there are no easy matches and no easy moments.

“We have to ensure that we hit the ground running to give ourselves the best possible chance of reaching the knockout rounds."

Japan’s technically gifted Nadeshiko is rebuilding after the retirement of stalwarts such as captain and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Homare Sawa, who both anchored and inspired the team.

It will be a considerably more cohesive team than the one the Matildas knocked out of the Olympic Qualifiers with a 3–1 win in Osaka in 2016 and defeated again 4–2 (including via Sam Kerr’s first national team hattrick) in 2017 at the inaugural Tournament of Nations.

Preview of all eight nations

Front of mind for the Matildas will be avoiding a repeat of the 2014 Women’s Asian Cup final result, where a lone 28th-minute Azusa Iwashimizu goal proved the difference between the two teams.

Once described by former Matildas coach Tom Sermanni as one of the unluckiest teams in women’s football because it so often narrowly missed out on top-two results, Korea Republic is a team that this time around could jag a result.

Buoyed by not only qualifying for its second ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015, but also making it out of the group stage, as well as coming off the back of a strong 2017, Korea Republic could prove this Women’s Asian Cup’s Group B dark horse.

The Matildas will play each of their three Group B opponents once, with the top two in the group advancing to the semi finals.

The Matildas matches will be broadcast live on FOX SPORTS.