ADELAIDE Oval will host the Socceroos in an important 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash in March.

The Advertiser understands Ange Postecoglou’s 2015 Asian Cup-winning side will face either Tajikistan or Jordan on Thursday, March 24 in the Socceroos’ penultimate match of the second phase of qualifying for the Russian World Cup.

The success of English premier league giant Liverpool attracting more than 53,000 fans to face Adelaide United (2-0) in July convinced state government officials to lobby harder for the Socceroos after Adelaide had been starved of the nation’s No. 1 soccer team.

The Socceroos clash in SA will be three days before Port Adelaide hosts St Kilda in the opening round of the 2016 AFL season at Adelaide Oval, while Adelaide United meets Central Coast on the same day at Coopers Stadium in an A-League match.

Australia currently tops the Asian Football Confederation’s World Cup Group B, after Tim Cahill jagged his second Socceroos hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Bangladesh away on Tuesday.

Australia needs to win the group or be among the best four second-place finishers in the eight groups to reach the third stage of the World Cup qualifiers. Cahill, 35, scored his maiden hat-trick for the national team in 2004 in Adelaide at the Marden Sports Complex in a 6-1 win over Fiji in front of just 2000 fans.

The five Oceania FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in Adelaide 11 years ago — at Hindmarsh Stadium and Marden — was the last time the Socceroos played for points in South Australia.

Events SA brokered a deal with Football Federation Australia for the Socceroos last appearance in Adelaide in June 2011 — a friendly match before the Adelaide Oval redevelopment.

More than 20,000 fans turned up to see former boss Holger Osieck’s Socceroos pump New Zealand 3-0, with SA-born James Troisi scoring in front of his family from the penalty spot.