Australia beats second-string Japan to reach brink of 2026 World Cup qualification
Australia's Cameron Burgess, right, and Aziz Behich celebrate after defeating Japan in their World Cup 2026 group C qualifying soccer match in Perth, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)
soccer
A last-minute goal from Aziz Behich gave Australia a 1-0 win over Japan in Perth on Thursday and put the Socceroos within touching distance of the 2026 World Cup.
With just the top two from Asia Group C certain of a place in the tournament, Australia was six points clear of third and will qualify for a sixth successive World Cup later Thursday if Saudi Arabia, next week's final group opponent, fails to win in Bahrain.
The already-qualified Japan fielded an experimental XI with only Daichi Kamada and Koki Machida having made more than four international appearances, but still had the majority of possession and chances.
Substitute Takefusa Kubo had perhaps the best opportunity with 10 minutes remaining, but the midfielder shot wide of the post from inside the area.
In the 90th minute, Riley McGree broke free down the right and pulled back for Behich to curl home to bring Perth Stadium to its feet and give Australia a first win over Japan in 16 years.
'It hasn't sunk in just yet but when the final whistle went it was a great feeling,' Behich said. 'It was a tough game and we had to grind it out. It's been a long campaign and we have worked so hard.'
The teams who finish third and fourth in the three groups in this third round of Asian qualifying will advance to a fourth stage to compete for the remaining two Asian places at the World Cup.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
6 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Basketball: Japan women beat Taiwan in Gaines' 1st game in charge
KYODO NEWS - 6 hours ago - 15:30 | Sports, All Japan brushed aside Taiwan 95-42 in a women's basketball exhibition game on Saturday, the team's first outing under new head coach Corey Gaines. Sarah Nakamura Miller led Japan with 12 points, going 4-from-7 from three-point range, at Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture. Anri Hoshi scored 11 points and Kokoro Tanaka 10. Japan led 55-18 at halftime, with Tanaka and Norika Konno starring, before the world's ninth-ranked team cruised to the victory against the 39th-ranked Taiwan. The two teams will play again at the same venue on Sunday. The 60-year-old Gaines, whose grandmother is Japanese, was an associate head coach of the men's team under Tom Hovasse since 2022 and helped the team at the 2023 World Cup in Okinawa, as well as at last year's Paris Olympics. Gaines was Japan women's advisory coach in 2016-2017 and replaced Toru Onzuka in January after his team finished the Paris Games last summer with three defeats in the preliminary round. Japan won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 under Hovasse. Gaines played for several NBA teams, including the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, before managing the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury to a championship in 2009. Related coverage: Basketball: Teen has sights set on being Japan team's next Hachimura Basketball: Hachimura ready to step up for title-chasing Lakers Basketball: Grizzlies guard Kawamura ends NBA rookie season on high
Kyodo News
10 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Basketball: Japan women beat Taiwan in Gaines' 1st game in charge
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 15:30 | Sports, All Japan brushed aside Taiwan 95-42 in a women's basketball exhibition game on Saturday, the team's first outing under new head coach Corey Gaines. Sarah Nakamura Miller led Japan with 12 points, going 4-from-7 from three-point range, at Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture. Anri Hoshi scored 11 points and Kokoro Tanaka 10. Japan led 55-18 at halftime, with Tanaka and Norika Konno starring, before the world's ninth-ranked team cruised to the victory against the 39th-ranked Taiwan. The two teams will play again at the same venue on Sunday. The 60-year-old Gaines, whose grandmother is Japanese, was an associate head coach of the men's team under Tom Hovasse since 2022 and helped the team at the 2023 World Cup in Okinawa, as well as at last year's Paris Olympics. Gaines was Japan women's advisory coach in 2016-2017 and replaced Toru Onzuka in January after his team finished the Paris Games last summer with three defeats in the preliminary round. Japan won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 under Hovasse. Gaines played for several NBA teams, including the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, before managing the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury to a championship in 2009. Related coverage: Basketball: Teen has sights set on being Japan team's next Hachimura Basketball: Hachimura ready to step up for title-chasing Lakers Basketball: Grizzlies guard Kawamura ends NBA rookie season on high
The Mainichi
10 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Basketball: Japan women beat Taiwan in Gaines' 1st game in charge
INAZAWA, Aichi (Kyodo) -- Japan brushed aside Taiwan 95-42 in a women's basketball exhibition game on Saturday, the team's first outing under new head coach Corey Gaines. Sarah Nakamura Miller led Japan with 12 points, going 4-from-7 from three-point range, at Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture. Anri Hoshi scored 11 points and Kokoro Tanaka 10. Japan led 55-18 at halftime, with Tanaka and Norika Konno starring, before the world's ninth-ranked team cruised to the victory against the 39th-ranked Taiwan. The two teams will play again at the same venue on Sunday. The 60-year-old Gaines, whose grandmother is Japanese, was an associate head coach of the men's team under Tom Hovasse since 2022 and helped the team at the 2023 World Cup in Okinawa, as well as at last year's Paris Olympics. Gaines was Japan women's advisory coach in 2016-2017 and replaced Toru Onzuka in January after his team finished the Paris Games last summer with three defeats in the preliminary round. Japan won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 under Hovasse. Gaines played for several NBA teams, including the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, before managing the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury to a championship in 2009.
