Japan's Moriyasu mourns end of unbeaten run after loss to Australia
Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Group C - Australia v Japan - Perth Stadium, Perth, Australia - June 5, 2025 Australia's Aziz Behich celebrates after scoring their first goal with teammates Richard Wainwright/AAP Image via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. AUSTRALIA OUT. NEW ZEALAND OUT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Hajime Moriyasu has already led Japan to qualification for next year's World Cup finals but there was no disguising his frustration at his understrength side losing 1-0 to Australia in Perth on Thursday.
Aziz Behich's 90th minute strike consigned the Samurai Blue to a first loss to Australia in 16 years and a first defeat in all matches since February last year.
"It ended up being an extremely frustrating and disappointing result," Moriyasu told reporters.
"Many inexperienced players were in action, but they were enthusiastic in practice, showed their best, and were prepared to fight like Japan as a team."
Moriyasu has ambitions to win the World Cup next year, not so foolhardy a goal when it is remembered that he led Japan to victories over Germany and Spain at the last edition in 2022.
Keen to expand his squad depth, Moriyasu rested his top players on Thursday and put out a team featuring nine players starting for the first time, three of them debutants.
They still dominated the match with their neat possession football for all but the last couple of minutes and would have won had they produced a better end-product in front of goal.
"I don't think we were technically and physically second best. Maybe, a lack of experience cost us," Moriyasu said
"I wanted to see what (inexperienced) players could do in a high-pressure environment. We have to improve and expand our squad."
Japan round out their qualifying campaign against Indonesia in Suita on Tuesday and Moriyasu said his team would be aiming to get back to winning ways.
"We wanted to continue our unbeaten run, but it's too late for that now," Moriyasu said.
"We'll ready ourselves the best we can to round things off with a win." REUTERS
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