Australia nears World Cup after dramatic late goal
In front of a packed crowd of 57,226 at Optus Stadium, Australia’s Socceroos struggled against a young and inexperienced Japanese team for much of the match. However, a decisive moment came when Riley McGree delivered a perfect pass to defender Aziz Behich, who struck a powerful shot into the corner, scoring his first international goal in 13 years and sparking wild celebrations.
This victory marks Australia’s first win over Japan since 2009 and puts them on the brink of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in North America. Prior to the match, Australia led Saudi Arabia by three points and held a superior goal difference, with only two games remaining.
Though this win does not fully guarantee Australia’s spot, Saudi Arabia’s upcoming match against Bahrain will influence the final outcome. Australia will face Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on June 10 in their last Group C match, fighting for second place behind Japan. The top two teams in the six-team group will automatically qualify for the World Cup.
After a largely unimpressive game, Australia’s late goal secured a crucial win, continuing their upward trajectory since Tony Popovic took over as coach in September.
Japan, having already qualified for the World Cup, used this match to test new players. Coach Hajime Moriyasu started three debutants, resting key players like Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo on the bench.
Despite their youth, Japan dominated the first half, with 21-year-old wing back Kota Tawaratsumida standing out on his debut. Japan created several scoring opportunities, including a long-range attempt by Yuito Suzuki and a near miss by Yu Hirakawa.
The halftime break came as a relief for Australia, who improved after the restart. Kubo came on in the 64th minute and nearly scored, curling a shot just wide. Then Behich’s late goal sealed a priceless victory for the Socceroos.
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