SYDNEY - China will feel they are like playing in "quicksand" when they take on Australia in Thursday's Asian Cup quarter-final, Australian striker Tim Cahill said on Monday.

Australia were beaten 1-0 by South Korea on Saturday, but Cahill believes his team will be fighting fit against an in-form China, who won all their three group matches.

"For me, the main focus was driving forward and making them feel like they're in quicksand," Cahill told Fairfax Media.

In the game against South Korea, Cahill was rested at the start, but later joined fellow striker Tomi Juric toward the end of the game.

It was the first time the two played together for the national team and together with impact players like Mathew Leckie and Robbie Kruse, the key attackers pose a major threat to China.

"If Krusey scores, I score, Tomi scores, it would have been genius," he said reflecting on the game against South Korea.

"It's unfortunate not to get the result but ... we did really penetrate them and moved the ball well on occasions, but if we don 't score then obviously it's going to look worse than it is."