With the international break now over, a host of Aussies will return to club action in England, Europe and Asia this weekend.
The opportunity to press their claims for a spot on the plane to Russia is running out, meaning every game and every minute counts for all the FIFA World Cup hopefuls.
Here’s a look at what’s ahead for some of our national stars this weekend.
MOOY RACING CLOCK FOR RELEGATION SIX-POINTER
Huddersfield are precariously close to the relegation zone in the Premier League and will hope to have Aaron Mooy available for the basement battle against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Mooy was a late scratching from Australia’s goalless draw with Colombia on Monday and returned to his club to get treatment on a knee problem.
With the Terries just three points above the drop zone, coach David Wagner will give Mooy right up until kick-off to prove his fitness.
Meanwhile, Mat Ryan will be in goal as his Brighton and Hove Albion host Leicester City.
Both matches kick-off at 1am on Sunday morning (AEDT).
IRVINE HOSTS JEDINAK IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mile Jedinak’s Aston Villa will need to arrest a two-game losing streak as they look to keep in touch with the automatic promotion places in the English Championship.
Villa are seven points off second spot and head to Hull City (2.30am Sunday AEDT), desperate for the three points, while the Tigers need a win to pull away from the drop zone.
Elsewhere, Tim Cahill will be hoping to get more game time alongside fellow Caltex Socceroo James Meredith when in-form Millwall host Nottingham Forest (11pm Friday (AEDT).
Cahill has managed limited minutes off the bench since joining the Lions, who are just four points off the playoff places.
Massimo Luongo has scored three goals in his last five games for QPR and will hope to get on the scoresheet again as they travel to lowly Reading (3.30am Saturday AEDT).
And Bailey Wright will again lead his Bristol City side into battle for their must-win clash at Barnsley (1am Saturday AEDT).
ACROSS EUROPE
Tom Rogic’s Celtic can take another big step towards another title in Scotland when they host bottom club St Johnstone (1am Sunday AEDT).
The Hoops are currently 10 points clear at the top of the SPL.
Jamie Maclaren will want more goals to try and force his way into Bert van Marwijk’s plans, and will need to get one of a fellow Aussie to make that happen.
Maclaren’s Hibernian, who are fourth on the ladder, host Ryan Edward’s Partick Thistle (1am Sunday AEDT).
In Germany, Mathew Leckie’s Hertha Berlin can have a big say in the Bundesliga relegation picture when they take on strugglers Wolfsburg (4.30am Sunday AEDT) who are in desperate need of the three points.
In 2.Bundesliga, in-form duo Robbie Kruse and Brandon Borrello will be key figures for their sides in crucial fixtures.
Borrello’s Kaiserslautern are on the road against MSV Duisburg (10pm Saturday (AEDT), while Kruse has to wait until Sunday (9.30pm (AEDT) before his Bochum outfit takes on Eintracht Braunschweiger.
Over in the Netherlands there’s a host of Aussies in action, as keeper Brad Jones, buoyed by his outing against Colombia takes on Excelsior for Feyenoord (12.45 am Monday AEDT).
Elsewhere, Ajdin Hrustic’s FC Groningen face a huge test against Ajax (10.30pm Sunday (AEDT), while Craig Goodwin and Kenneth Dougall’s relegation-threatened Sparta Rotterdam head to PEC Zwolle.
In Turkey, Aziz Behich's Bursaspor will look to get their stuttering campaign back on track when they travel to Antalyaspor (midnight Saturday AEDT), while new Caltex Socceroo Aleksandar Susnjar and his Mlada Boleslav meet Viktoria Plzen.
And it Switzerland, Trent Sainsbury will be hoping to make his Grasshopper Zurich debut against FC Thun (3am Sunday AEDT), while Tomi Juric’s FC Luzern take on St Gallen (midnight Sunday (AEDT).
ASIA
After making two appearances for the Caltex Socceroos this week, Andrew Nabbout will now want to earn a J-League debut for his new club Urawa Reds.
The Reds, who have yet to win any of their four matches in the J-League, travel to Jubilo Iwata (4pm Sunday AEDT).
Elsewhere in J-League 1, Mitch Duke Shimizu S-Pulse host Milos Degenek’s Yokohama F.Marinos (4pm Saturday AEDT) and Mitch Langerak’s Nagoya Grampus are on the road at Sagan Tosu (9pm Saturday (AEDT).
Ahead of their clash in the ACL against Sydney FC next week, Matt Jurman’s Suwon Bluewings head to Jeju United in the K-League on Saturday, while Mark Milligan’s Al Ahli are in King’s Cup action against Al Faisaly.
