FIFA World Cup Qualifying - AFC

FT Thursday, June 5, 2025
Japan DWWWD 0
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Australia DDDWW 1
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JPN000
AUS011
Optus Stadium · 57,226 att.

Match Report

Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Late Behich winner all but secures Socceroos World Cup spot

The Socceroos have effectively punched their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after an Aziz Behich stunner in the 90th minute lifted them to a 1-0 win over Japan at a sold-out Optus Stadium.

Full story at ESPN →

Head to Head

JPN leads series 3-0-2

Lineups

AUS · 3-4-2-1

  1. 1Mathew RyanG
  2. 2Milos DegenekCD
  3. 21Cameron BurgessCD-L
  4. 23Alessandro CircatiCD-R
  5. 17Ryan TeagueCM-L
  6. 13Aiden O'NeillCM-R
  7. 16Aziz BehichLM
  8. 3Lewis MillerRM
  9. 11Brandon BorrelloF
  10. 8Connor MetcalfeCF-L
  11. 6Martin BoyleCF-R

JPN · 3-4-2-1

  1. 23Kosei TaniG
  2. 4Tsuyoshi WatanabeCD
  3. 16Koki MachidaCD-L
  4. 2Hiroki SekineCD-R
  5. 5Kaishu SanoCM-L
  6. 7Joel Chima FujitaCM-R
  7. 20Kota TawaratsumidaLM
  8. 11Yu HirakawaRM
  9. 9Yuki OhashiF
  10. 15Daichi KamadaCF-L
  11. 8Yuito SuzukiCF-R

Timeline

  1. 45' Patrick Yazbek (Australia) Substitution at 45'
  2. 45' Riley McGree (Australia) Substitution at 45'
  3. 45' Ayumu Seko (Japan) Substitution at 45'
  4. 64' Keito Nakamura (Japan) Substitution at 64'
  5. 64' Takefusa Kubo (Japan) Substitution at 64'
  6. 68' Mitchell Duke (Australia) Substitution at 68'
  7. 68' Jason Geria (Australia) Substitution at 68'
  8. 69' Kota Takai (Japan) Substitution at 69'
  9. 70' Shuto Machino (Japan) Substitution at 70'
  10. 80' Daniel Arzani (Australia) Substitution at 80'
  11. 90' Aziz Behich (Australia) Goal at 90'

WCQ - AFC News

All news
ESPN Mikhail De Guzman and Pam Puri What Philippines learned from two ASEAN campaigns Philippines have shown enough promise over the past two tournaments. They now need to show progress. ESPN Joey Lynch, Gabriel Tan, Stuart Randall AFC to introduce Nations League in shake-up of World Cup, Asian Cup qualification The Asian Football Confederation is set to introduce a Nations League competition, which will affect the qualification process for the World Cup and Asian Cup. ESPN Joey Lynch Garriock: Football Australia 'in favour' of AFC Nations League concept Football Australia has given an early thumbs-up to the AFC's proposed Nations League concept, with director Heather Garriock describing it as a 'great concept' to strengthen Asia's position in world football. ESPN Gabriel Tan Ilhan Fandi pleased with start to life at Lion City Sailors, eyeing more under Mark Jackson Three games in and now reunited with a former coach, Ilhan Fandi is satisfied with how life is going at the Sailors.