It is 12 years ago since Australia featured at a FIFA Confederations Cup and then, as now, the Socceroos opened with a match against Germany.

The contest proved to be an epic seven-goal thriller edged by Germany on home soil.

Much like this year in Russia, Germany lined-up with numerous new faces many of whom shone at the FIFA World Cup™ a year later.

Australia, who still have a survivor from that match in Tim Cahill, went on to make a drought-breaking return to the World Cup in Germany 12 months later.

If the match on Monday is anything like that 2005 contest in Frankfurt, then the fans in Sochi’s Fisht Stadium are in for a rare treat.